Mixed-methods feasibility study of blood pressure self-screening for hypertension detection

What is it about?

We installed blood pressure monitors in the waiting rooms two GP surgeries. The monitors let people take their own blood pressure and transfer the result to their medical records. We wanted to see if this would be a good way of screening people for high blood pressure. We found that only about 1% of patients used the machines to put their blood pressure into their medical record. When we interviewed them, we found that patients and medical staff liked the blood pressure monitor, but found the transfer system hard to use. The machines were very expensive, and most of the cost was for the transfer system. We think that a simpler system where people take their own blood pressure and give a piece of paper with the results to a member of staff is probably more practical and would cost less.

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