The Effects of Implementing a Telehealth System Combined with Case Management Versus Case Management Alone on Blood Pressure Levels in Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to compare the effects of implementing a telehealth system combined with case management versus case management alone on blood pressure levels in hypertensive patients at Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, from June 2023 to April 2024. The sample consisted of 26 hypertensive patients who were divided into a control group and a treatment group with 13 patients in each group. The treatment group used a telehealth system combined with case management through the Telehealth Thailand platform, while the control group received only case management. Both groups measured their blood pressure every morning and evening for seven consecutive days out of every four-week period. The treatment group submitted their data to the researchers routinely and received continuous feedback, while the control group did not submit any data. At week 12, the treatment group had an online consultation with a physician, while the control group visited the hospital as scheduled. Both groups met with a physician at the hospital at week 24.  Data were analyzed to compare the average blood pressure levels between the two groups at weeks 1 and 24 using t-test to assess differences and repeated measures ANOVAs to analyze trends over different time points.

The research results revealed that the blood pressure levels in both groups decreased as expected, but there was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p > .05). However, the trend in blood pressure decrease continued consistently in both groups.