What challenges do you encounter when seeking healthcare for chronic conditions?

Embrace telemedicine platforms to overcome geographic barriers and facilitate remote access to healthcare services. Telemedicine enables individuals with chronic conditions to consult specialists and receive medical advice without the need for travel. By leveraging video conferencing, remote monitoring, and digital health tools, patients can access timely care from the comfort of their homes, reducing the burden of long-distance travel and improving overall health outcomes.

Managing chronic care in family practice is something we do everyday, but for those patients that require the collaboration of specialists: patients have a waiting period in order to get in due to the lack of specialist providers in my area. I have begun thoroughly reviewing the notes of specialists for the ones that get in and began ordering and completing some of the orders that they do in order to avoid longer waits for other lab/test results. This has helped to speed the ability to provide specialty care once they are in.

Managing chronic illness should be a primary focus for all clinical practices, but sadly that is not a reality. If we made this our primary model for care, we would drastically reduce the associated mortality and morbidity associated with chronic care patients. Spending the time to address these major illnesses such as the four horsemen would be a wise investment and get us back to the preventive approach to medicine that our patients expect and deserve from us.

Los pacientes que presentan enfermedades crónicas además tienen que sortear otras barreras para poder recibir la atención de salud que sea oportuna y adecuada. Algunas de ellas son los tiempos de espera para conseguir turnos con especialistas en la afección que poseen; o bien los altos costos de las consultas con los especialistas sanitarios; otra barrera son la distancias que deben recorrer los pacientes debido a que muchos de los especialistas brindan a tención en las grandes ciudades y esto dificulta a la atención de pacientes que habitan zonas rurales o en zonas alejadas de las grandes urbes, en este caso una gran ayuda podría ser la telemedicina.

Patient support is essential, whether by family members, spouse or disease specific advocate. They can help navigate these care obstacles that add tremendous stress and contribute to disease aggravation and relapse.

Educate patients on insurance literacy and health financial planning strategies to empower them to navigate insurance coverage effectively and manage healthcare expenses proactively.

Insurance hoops have become a substantial burden in order to provide care according to guidelines. It may be something as simple as wording in order to get something approved. For many it's the requirements to have tried/failed many other medications in order to get the one that would provide the best benefit. Every patient does not get treatment the same as every patient is not the same. But insurance views everyone the same. Imaging has become the worst loop to go through. For example if you know a patient likely has a torn rotator insurance will require an x ray and physical therapy before approving an MRI. All which slow the treatment and impose the risk of more harm along with increasing the cost of care to the patient.

Patients on medical aid are often misinformed about their coverage. Most of the time as a case Manager you have to access such kind of information on their behalf, through a friend in such schemes. I am constantly empowering them to seek such information from their schemes so that they are better placed to own up to their health.And rightfully so with benefit pools at times the information can be overwhelming, coupled with the oit of pocket they have to pay. And the biggest of that will be a topic for another day, balance billing

Develop personalized care plans tailored to individual needs and preferences, incorporating medication schedules, lifestyle recommendations, and self-management strategies. Utilize health technologies such as mobile apps, wearable devices, and remote monitoring tools to empower patients to track their progress, adhere to treatment regimens, and communicate with healthcare providers effectively.

Los pacientes que presentan enfermedades crónicas deben seguir tratamientos a largo plazo, algunos de los cuales implican modificar significativamente los hábitos y el estilo de vida de los pacientes. Por ello, es relevante trabajar en conjunto entre los profesionales de la salud con los pacientes en la coproducción sanitaria, con la finalidad de dise?ar un tratamiento adecuado a su estilo de vida y aceptación. Un ítem relevante es la comunicación sanitaria efectiva en lo referente a la adecuada administración de los medicamentos, por ejemplo, en cuanto a la dosis recomendada, los horarios de administración o a interacción con otros medicamentos, y también sobre la detección de efectos colaterales.

This is where patients and caregiver counselling and/or training plays a major role. The support system often plays a vital role on the overall outcome of such complex cases.The burden is lessened by being shared and both the patient and their support system have a sense of belonging in the treatment journey.

Providers should be assessing their accessibility to care from a health equity perspective. Who is the population that they are serving? Is there a higher than average barrier towards literacy? Is there an ample amount of staff who can speak applicable languages for the location served? When it comes to heath education material and resources, is it available in not only the preferred language but in a skill level that the patient will understand?

Chronic diseases can also limit patients' physical activity, prompting them to change their lifestyles and manage their symptoms. Consider 58-year-old with advanced osteoarthritis. he has trouble dressing, walking, and doing housework. He must coordinate and fund orthopaedic expert appointments, physical therapy, and assistance devices to treat his condition.

La comunicación asistencial efectiva es muy importante para la evolución y la mejora de una enfermedad crónica. Es importante utilizar un lenguaje sencillo para que el paciente comprenda adecuadamente el tratamiento que debe seguir. Lo ideal es que se genere un ambiente de coproducción que incentive a los usuarios del servicio a participar en su cuidado. Es fundamental que el personal de salud brinde a los pacientes un espacio de escucha activa y de atención plena (“mindfulness”), que los contenga, muchas veces emocionalmente, y que los empodere para que participen activamente en su cuidado.

Chronic diseases can have a significant emotional and psychological toll on patients in addition to their physical effects. when people accept the possibility that their illness may never fully recover, they may feel a variety of emotions, such as dread, denial, rage, and melancholy. for example , one of the patients i knew summed up the emotional rollercoaster she experiences as follows: "Some days I feel hopeless, like I'll never get better." On other days, I'm resolved to combat this illness and figure out how to make the most of my life despite it.

Emotional strain of chronic conditions is one of the biggest barriers to care due to lack of transportation, financial resources, and education for many patients. The increase in depression and anxiety in the patient population shows that. We educate our patients on the best diet plan to manage their conditions but when they can't afford those foods it poses a threat to their health therefore increasing anxiety and depression because they want to do better in order to get better but financially just can not. I've made resource sheets to provide to give patients information on local food banks, low budget healthy meals, and information on SNAP benefits.

Everyone has a breaking point- this should not mark a patient for life and impede care. Unfortunately, it is quite common. Communication breakdown can happen at the earliest stages of medical professionals interacting with patients. Triage in an emergency department, for example, needs to realize the power differential that they exude over the patient. If things go wrong in triage, it creates a black mark in a permanent file for the patient and determines treatment from that point forward. There is not a lot of room for "I statements", open thinking and dialogue, or room for discussion during triage for chronic care. I suggest these as a starting point. It is easier to start care with mutual respect than it is to de-escalate a situation.

Los pacientes que padecen de enfermedades crónicas pueden llegar al agotamiento, a la frustración, al enojo con su condición y hasta llegar a abandonar el tratamiento. Por ello, es importante reconocer estas se?ales de alarma para que el equipo de salud, su familia y cuidadores los apoyen y los contengan emocionalmente. La salud es un mental juega un rol sumamente importante en lograr mejoras en la calidad de vida del paciente con enfermedades crónicas.

Resulta fundamental, no solo la adherencia al tratamiento farmacológico, sino también el mantenimiento a largo plazo de los cambios adquiridos en los estilos de vida

Another essential issue to consider is access to technology demanded by multiple physician providers and health systems including lab tests and complex imaging studies. Each provider, health system and testing/imaging platform has its own patient portal and App with unique ID and password requirements. As a patient, you must have devices that are up to date or apps will not load or work properly. All of the platforms have different formats and ease (or not) of use. It is up to the patient to coordinate the information to various providers as the platforms do not interface or the provider has to sign in and out of multiple platforms to obtain patient information (which rarely happens).

When dealing with a chronic condition, it is important to advocate for yourself and be as informed as possible. Get your information from scientific trustworthy resources, learn what aspects of your disease can be improved through lifestyle interventions, if any. It is important to identify community resources which might help such as support groups, apps, local events.

One thing to consider is the mental and emotional support needs. Chronic conditions impact the mental wellbeing leading to anxiety, stress and depression. Support groups and access to counselling is essential for addressing the psychological aspects of living with a chronic illness.

Chronically ill patients struggle with the high cost of medical care. Over two-thirds of healthcare spending in the US is allocated to treating chronic disorders. For instance, diabetics must monitor their blood sugar, take prescriptions, and see their doctor regularly, which can add up. These costs might be onerous for people without comprehensive insurance or the means to pay out-of-pocket.

It has been my long time experience that doctors refuse to look past what they already know. When all of my tests are normal but I am symptomatic, it's "in my head" or I'm making it up, or I'm a hypochondriac and I just want attention; "go see psychologist". It is beyond frustrating. I know I am not alone in this. It leads patients to give up and yet we have to be our own advocates. Also, doctors do not like to be told that they're wrong or that they need to do more research. This can lead to a breakdown of the professional relationship. People who are not skilled in communication can end up being kicked out of their doctor's office and unable to get another one which is tragic. 25 years later, I finally have a correct diagnosis.