Obstetrical Hypertension
Program Overview

How the Program Works | Facts You Need to Know | Hypertension Outcomes

How the Program Works

Alere's Obstetrical Hypertension Management Program offers assurance that your patients are closely monitored for disease progression. Candidates for this service include patients who have been diagnosed with gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension or mild preeclampsia, or hospitalized for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and are ready for discharge with close surveillance.

Alere's services for gestational/chronic hypertension include:

• In-home patient education about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
• Daily monitoring of weight and blood pressure
• Testing for urine protein twice per week
• 24/7 telephonic nursing support
• Nursing assessment for signs or symptoms of worsening condition
• Clinical reports to physician and case manager

Alere's services for mild preeclampsia include:

• In-home patient education about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
• Daily monitoring of blood pressure, weight, urine protein and fetal movement
• Compliance support, including bed rest and/or restricted activity
• Nursing assessment for signs and symptoms of the progression of preeclampsia
• 24/7 telephonic nursing support
• Detailed patient status reports to physician and case manager
• Non-stress tests when ordered

Program benefits include:

• Eperience and expertise handling 10,000 obstetrical hypertensive patients
• Comprehensive patient education
• State-of-the-art home-monitoring technology
• Pregnancy outcomes comparable to hospital management
• Cost savings based on reduced antepartum hospital days

Facts You Need to Know

Affecting up to 8 percent of pregnant women, hypertension is the most frequently reported medical condition during pregnancy and is responsible for 15 percent of maternal deaths in the United States.1 The incidence of pregnancy-related hypertension has risen steadily since 1990 from 27.2 per 1,000 live births to 37.7 per 1,000 in 2001 and is more prevalent at the extremes of maternal age distribution (<19 and >40), in obese women and in women with preexisting medical conditions, multiple gestation or a history of preeclampsia.2

Hypertension in pregnancy may lead to serious complications and contributes to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. The main perinatal risks contributing to maternal hypertension in pregnancy are related to prematurity, poor placental perfusion, intrauterine growth retardation and abruptio placenta. Maternal complications related to hypertension in pregnancy generally involve the renal, hematologic or hpatic systems.

Hypertension Outcomes

Findings in a cost analysis showed that outpatient versus inpatient management of hypertension during pregnancy yields similar maternal fetal outcomes, though with significantly fewer maternal antepartum hospital days. The study compared one group of women using Alere’s services to one group not using Alere.3

• The average number of hospital days for women in the Alere group was 1.7 compared to 12.4 for the non-Alere group.
• Inpatient and outpatient costs combined were $9,533 for the Alere group versus $19,180 for the non-Alere group.