A comprehensive digital medicine platform for hypertension and diabetes care in primary care: A real-world feasibility test

Background: Hypertension and diabetes are typically managed in primary care settings, where continuous and tailored care based on continuity in daily life is essential to improve health outcomes. Objective: To address the shortage of human and material resources in primary care and to enhance health outcomes, we developed and implemented a comprehensive digital medicine platform in a real-world setting. Methods: A patient application (app) and a web app for healthcare providers were developed to enable bidirectional communication between patients and healthcare providers. Primary physicians and care coordinators utilized this platform to deliver personalized care management. To manage multiple patients with limited staff, automated message generation logic was used. Results: Using the app, patients could self-measure blood pressure and blood glucose level, receive feedback from healthcare providers, and obtain personalized medication management, disease education, and lifestyle guidance regarding smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise. Healthcare providers can view the data generated by the patient app, in real time, on the web app, and immediately send messages when an action is required. An evaluation of effectiveness was conducted with 502 patients in the intervention group and 502 patients in the control group over a 24-week intervention. In the intervention group, systolic blood pressure decreased by 3.8% (P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure by 3.4% (P < 0.001), body mass index by 1.6% (P < 0.001), and waist circumference by 1.5% (P < 0.001). HDL cholesterol increased by 2.4% (P < 0.05), and triglycerides decreased by 5.4% (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the adoption of a digital medicine platform is effective and essential for continuous patient management in primary care. Information and communications technology-based tools and applications are becoming increasingly important in healthcare, and our study has provided valuable insights into the management of chronic diseases.