Reducing Inequities in Care of Hypertension, Lifestyle Improvement for Everyone (RICH LIFE Project)

The RICH LIFE Project is a two-armed, cluster-randomized trial, comparing the effectiveness of an enhanced standard of care arm, "Standard of Care Plus" (SCP), to a multi-level intervention, "Collaborative Care/Stepped Care" (CC/SC), in improving blood pressure control, patient activation and reducing disparities in blood pressure control among 1,890 adult patients with uncontrolled hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk factors at thirty primary care practices in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Fifteen practices randomized to the SCP arm receive standardized blood pressure measurement training, and audit and feedback of blood pressure control rates at the practice provider level. Fifteen practices in the CC/SC arm receive all the SCP interventions plus the implementation of the collaborative care model with additional stepped-care components of community health worker referrals and subspecialist curbside consults and an on-going virtual workshop for organizational leaders in quality improvement and disparities reduction. The primary clinical outcomes are the percent of patients with blood pressure \<140/90 mm Hg and change from baseline in mean systolic blood pressure at 12 months. The primary patient reported outcome is change from baseline in self-reported patient activation at 12 months.

The investigators refined research aim is to determine if a clinic-based collaborative care team, including a community health worker (CHW) to deliver community-based contextualized care, reduces disparities in blood pressure control rates, lowers cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and improves outcomes among patients with hypertension and other common comorbid conditions when compared to standard of care health system approaches to CVD risk management, including audit and feedback and staff and provider training.

Collaborative care includes care coordination and care management; regular and proactive monitoring and treatment to target specific patient needs using validated clinical tools and rating scales; and regular systematic caseload reviews by the care team and consultation with experts for patients who do not show clinical improvement. A typical collaborative care team includes the primary care provider, nurse care manager or coordinator, and other members of the clinic staff involved in patient care.

Intervention protocols are designed to address common comorbidities (diabetes, hyperlipidemia, depression and coronary heart disease), lifestyle factors (dietary intake, physical activity, and smoking) and medication adherence. The intensive intervention treats the "whole" patient, driven by individual patient goals and priorities, as opposed to the standard of care, which typically focuses on individual conditions. This proposed study responds directly to patient desires to feel more equipped to be involved in their care and manage multiple conditions that contribute to CVD. The investigators have worked successfully in the past with a broad range of stakeholders, including community members, patients, providers, and payors, and will continue to engage them through the research and dissemination process.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult patients (≥21 years of age) obtaining primary care from a provider at a participating practice
2. A diagnosis of hypertension or SBP≥140mmHg or DBP≥90mmHg twice in the past year or on antihypertensive medications plus at least one of the following CVD risk factors:

   * Diabetes mellitus (fasting blood sugar\> 125mg/dl or hemoglobin A1c\>6.5 or on a hypoglycemic medication);
   * Dyslipidemia (LDL \>130 mg/dl, HDL\<40 or total cholesterol \>200 or on a lipid lowering agent);
   * Coronary heart disease
   * Current tobacco smokers
   * Depression by International Classification of Disease, 9th edition (ICD-9), codes or Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) score \>9

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Cardiovascular event (unstable angina, myocardial infarction) within the past 6 months
2. Serious medical condition which either limits life expectancy or requires active management (e.g., certain cancers)
3. Condition which interferes with outcome measurement (e.g., dialysis)
4. Pregnant or planning a pregnancy during study period. Nursing mothers would need approval from physician.
5. Alcohol or substance use disorder if not sober/abstinent for ≥30 days
6. Planning to leave clinic within 6 months or move out of geographic area within 18 months
7. Individuals with cognitive impairment or other condition which makes them unable to participate in the intervention
8. Participating in another lifestyle modification, weight reduction, or treatment trial