A 2010 Cochrane review showed that family medicine and
community-based clinics need an organized system to follow
up and review their patients with hypertension.2 How best to
do this is yet to be determined, but a model of care allowing
each person on the health care team to function to the highest
level of their degree will provide quality, efficient, and low-cost
health care. We have found that using nursing staff to provide
this service allows for ease of patient use, improved follow-up,
and in the end, lower blood pressures. Future plans include
implementing protocols to allow rooming staff to increase
blood pressure medications.