Better Care for hypertensive patients—Better Business for a medical practice: Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring improves the quality of care for patients with hypertension while adding revenue to a practice

In recent years, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has become a commonly used tool for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Much of this growth was enhanced by the 2001 decision of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to begin reimbursement of ABPM for evaluation of “white-coat” hypertension. However, because of the focus on “white-coat” hypertension, there has been much confusion and misinformation as to whether ABPM is even a covered medical procedure. Understanding the clinical benefits and reimbursement of ABPM presents a valuable, yet often-missed opportunity for both physicians and sales representatives who might distribute these devices.