PCORI Announces Funding for Duke Health Hypertension Management Project

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has announced an award of funding to a Duke Health program aimed at improving control of high blood pressure (hypertension) in communities served by Duke Health. The initiative, known as the Duke Hypertension Management Acceleration Program (HTN MAP), is supported through PCORI’s Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII), which is advancing adoption of evidence-based practices to improve care and outcomes. HSII funds implementation projects focused on high-priority health concerns, such as adult hypertension, across the United States.

HTN MAP is led by principal investigator and Duke Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Chair Anthony Viera, MD, MPH, and builds on earlier efforts conducted through the Duke Collaborative to Advance Clinical Health Equity (CACHE). The initiative will focus on systematic improvements to the health system that allow patients with hypertension to connect with primary care providers who can provide needed support, education, and follow-up, personalized to individual patients’ needs and preferences. HTN MAP will also feature digital tools that enable remote data collection and monitoring, automated reminders, and educational support for patients.

HTN MAP investigators plan to enroll approximately 37,000 patients with hypertension at 54 Duke Health sites, primarily centering on the Duke Primary Care network.