ISB study reveals critical gaps in hypertension management by private healthcare providers-Telangana Today

Key findings of the study titled “Private Provider Practices and Incentives for Hypertension Management in Rural and Peri-Urban Telangana, India – A Qualitative Study” highlight inconsistent diagnostic practices, mechanisms of Inadequate monitoring and poor record keeping, all of which hinder effective management of hypertension.

Hyderabad: A new study by the Max Institute of Healthcare Management (MIHM) at the Indian School of Business (ISB) has identified critical gaps in the diagnosis and management of hypertension by private healthcare providers, especially in rural and peri-urban areas of Telangana.

The key findings of the study titled “Private provider practices and incentives for hypertension management in rural and peri-urban areas of Telangana, India – a qualitative study” highlight inconsistent diagnostic practices, mechanisms of Inappropriate monitoring and inadequate record keeping, which hinder effective hypertension. management.

The study published in BMC Health Services Research, a peer-reviewed journal, involved in-depth interviews with over 46 primary healthcare professionals and patients in three districts: Warangal Urban, Karimnagar and Sircilla.

A worrying revelation from the study is the lack of adherence to routine opportunistic screening protocols, as private practitioners only measure blood pressure when patients have explicit symptoms.

Additionally, arbitrary variation of diagnostic thresholds by private practitioners further delays diagnosis, leaving patients untreated and at increased risk of complications.

The study highlighted the lack of consistent follow-up routine, highlighting the high costs of diagnostic tests that discourage patients from seeing a specialist, highlighting the need for financial assistance to improve long-term sustainable management of the disease.

Additionally, lack of monitoring systems, poor record keeping practices and absence of a structured monitoring mechanism hamper regular monitoring regime and treatment compliance, further worsening the crisis.

To improve outcomes, the ISB-MIHM study recommended adherence to standardized screening protocols and targeted educational interventions to address knowledge gaps and behavioral barriers among private practitioners, as well as patient education for better self-management.

“Hypertension is often considered a health problem primarily affecting affluent urban populations, but its prevalence is increasing among low-income groups in rural and peri-urban areas, where access to formal health care is limited,” a said Professor Sarang Deo, Executive Director, MIHM and one of the co-authors of the study.