METHODS: A cross-sectional telephone survey.
METHODS: All municipal health centres in Finland.
METHODS: Health centres where both the head physician and the senior nursing officer responded.
METHODS: Agreement in views of the senior executives on the adoption of clinical practices as recommended in the Hypertension Guideline.
RESULTS: Data were available from 143 health centres in Finland (49%). The views of head physicians and senior nursing officers on the adoption of the Hypertension Guideline were not consistent. Head physicians more often than senior nursing officers (44% vs. 29%, p < 0.001) reported that no agreements on recording target blood pressure in patient records existed. A similar discrepancy was seen in recording cardiovascular risk (64% vs. 44%, p < 0.001). Senior executives agreed best on the calibration of sphygmomanometers and the provision of weight-control group counselling.
CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension Guideline recommendations that require joint agreements between professionals are less often adopted than simple, precise recommendations. More emphasis on effective multidisciplinary collaboration is needed.