OBJECTIVES: To exploit whether disease management program (DMap) is cost-effectiveness, improvement of quality and outcomes in hypertension intervention at community level METHODS: Four districts were selected to conduct a quasi-experimental study in 2006-2007. About 1442 hypertension patients were enrolled to management group ((962 cases) and control group (480 cases).Patient blood pressure, behavior and lifestyles were surveyed at baseline and followed in 6 and 12 months. The cost data were collected from community health institution and disease managers by questionnaires.RESULTS: The cost per patient was 968.8 Yuan (RMB) ($143) in management group and 740.6 Yuan (RMB) ($109) in control group. The incremental cost per patient in management group was equal to 19 Yuan (RMB) ($2.8) per patient per month. After 12-month follow-up, the average systolic blood pressure (SBP) was declined 7.96mmHg and the average diastolic blood pressure (DBP), 4.5mmHg in management group. The individual blood pressure before and after intervention matched pairs  showed that the average SBP and DBP per patient was reduced 12.95mmHg and 7.89mmHg,respectively. The results illustrate the effectiveness of controlling SBP and DBP in management group which is much better than that in control group (p<0.01). However, the cost of declining 1mmHg DBP is much higher than the cost of declining 1mmHg SBP. The incremental cost-effectiveness analysis (ICEA) showed that incremental cost for declining 1mmHg SBP and DBP in management group is less than that in control group (.45 Yuan vs 83 Yuan). CONCLUSIONS: DMap can improve the cost-effectiveness and quality of care in community hypertension intervention. The characteristics of DMap is to promote patient self-management on hypertension by using participatory approach. Patients change their lifestyles ( diet, smoking, physical exercise and compliance of medicines) so as to control their blood pressure. Finally, after one-year best practice, DMap has been scale up to all districts in Shanghai since 2009.