Continuity of patient care and patient control with high blood pressure at the first stage of medical attention

Abstract

Objective: to compare the blood pressure numbers of patients with high blood pressure with and without continuity of care at the first stage of medical attention. Methods: a multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in three family medicine units in a public institution. A family medicine information system was used to review the electronic files of patients with high blood pressure from July 2018 to June 2019. The systematic sample was used to complete the size of sample 358 for each group of patients, with and without continuity of medical care. It was determined that continuity existed when the continuity of care index was ≥ 0.7, getting also clinical variables. Results: of 701 electronic files of patients with high blood pressure, there was an average continuity of care index of 0.68 ± 0.23, without differences between the group of patients, with and without continuity of care, with variables: control of high blood pressure, evolution period of high blood pressure, number of patients that were assisted in the emergency departments due to uncontrolled hypertension, antihypertensive medications used and high blood pressure control. Conclusions: There was found, no relation between continuity of patient care and high blood pressure control.