OBJECTIVES: Economic evaluations typically assume a constant intensity of care (e.g., one visit/cycle). The tenability of this assumption was examined using data from BPSZ- BLISS, a naturalistic study that collects demographics, blood pressure, and other outcomes in “usual care” patients from the US, including Puerto Rico. METHODS: Baseline, age, gender, ethnicity and blood pressures were recorded. Charts of subjects with chronic hypertension were reviewed for: date of diagnosis, date of the most recent visit, and blood pressures. The time between most recent and baseline visits was examined as a marker of intensity of care. Differences in times were also compared by ethnicity. RESULTS: In 8,023 subjects, 5,882 (73%) had chronic hypertension (53.0% female, 69.7% Caucasian, 22.5% Black, 4.6% Hispanic, 3.1% other). Mean BP at most recent visit was 147.7 mmHg systolic, 88.0 mmHg diastolic. There was a broad range of times between most recent and baseline visits (mean 112 days SD: 225). Older patients, females, those with prior cardiovascular disease and those hypertensive at MRP visit had shorter times. Visits tended to be sooner for Caucasian patients: 105 days (SD: 185 days); only Blacks were seen significantly later (24 days 95% CI: 11 - 38); Hispanic patients (19 days, 95% CI: -10 - 49); others (31 days, 95% CI: -4 - 65). The difference between Black and Caucasian patients persisted after controlling for potential differences in hypertensive status at the follow-up visits, age, sex and history of cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSION: Visit frequency varies widely and is influenced by clinical and demographic characteristics. This should be taken into account in economic evaluations, as well as the impact on health outcomes.