Evaluating Patient and Provider Experiences of Enrolling in a Remote Cardiovascular Health Program: A Qualitative Interview Study

BACKGROUND: Remote health management programs utilizing evidence-based algorithm-driven virtual care solutions for chronic disease management offer a novel approach to addressing implementation gaps for conditions such as hypertension. However, little is known about how to optimize patient enrollment. METHODS: Through structured interviews, we conducted a qualitative analysis of patient and primary care physician attitudes toward enrollment in a remote hypertension management program at Mass General Brigham (Boston, MA). We selectively recruited a sampling of patients who had enrolled, declined, or were eligible for Mass General Brigham’s remote hypertension management program, which utilized interdisciplinary teams to implement clinical guideline-based algorithmic management of hypertension. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis to identify common themes related to enrollment and engagement. RESULTS: Between July and August 2022, we performed 20 patient interviews and 6 provider interviews. Most patient participants were male (n=12) and identified their race and ethnicity as White (n=15). Most provider participants were female (n=4), and all were medical doctors. Six themes related to hypertension care and remote hypertension management programs were identified: (1) strong connections between patients and care teams drive engagement; (2) there is widespread comfort with hybrid care delivery; (3) provider guidance facilitates home blood pressure monitoring; (4) the decision to enroll hinges on provider endorsement; (5) a clearly articulated program structure; and (6) working with trained nonlicensed navigators is an acceptable element of remote hypertension management programs. CONCLUSIONS: Enrollment in remote hypertension management programs depends on several key factors. As in traditional care settings, providers significantly influence patient engagement with remote hypertension programs. Key challenges include nonlicensed navigator training and communication clarity about program structure. Building upon facilitators and addressing core challenges are essential for expansion of innovative hypertension care delivery programs to improve patient outcomes at scale.