Chronic care management (CCM) is a broad and constantly evolving concept that means different things to different people. To the healthcare provider, it means managing the care of patients for whom other healthcare providers have grown tired or who no longer need your services. To the patient, it means being informed about your treatments and what’s involved in their care from start to finish. If you’ve been in practice long enough, you’ve likely heard people talk about chronic care management: patients who are chronically ill and require regular medical visits; patients with life-long or chronic conditions who are vulnerable to disease or injury; and even employees who may experience long periods of absenteeism or be prone to injuries. Simply put, chronic care management is the art of taking care of your patients for as long as they need you – no matter how old or sick they are. It’s also called collaborative care management (CCM).

What is Chronic Care Management?

Chronic care management is the practice of managing a patient’s healthcare needs for as long as needed. When you see it used in reference to health or medical conditions, you’re likely talking about a chronic condition that requires a long-term or frequent medical visit or series of visits to manage. In many cases, the best approach to managing a chronic condition is to manage it by a team of healthcare providers. It is important to know the difference when comparing ccm vs rpm.

Chronic Care Management - What’s The Difference Between Acute And Chronic Care?

Before we get into the difference between acute and chronic care, let’s briefly go over what chronic care management is. Chronic care management is managing a patient’s healthcare needs for as long as needed. When you see it used in reference to health or medical conditions, you’re likely talking about a chronic condition that requires a long-term or frequent medical visit or series of visits to manage.

How Does Chronic Care Management Help Patients?

When you understand the nuances of chronic care management, you can better appreciate the value of this approach to patient care. Ideally, you’ll have a good working relationship with the patient before, during, and after a visit. This means you’ll know the patient’s name, what they’re going through, and what they’d like from their visit. Going into the visit with a plan will make the patient feel comfortable, safe, and supported during the visit. This will lead to more accurately filling in their details during the intake process and will allow you to better tailor care to the patient’s specific needs.

When to Implement Chronic Care Management

As your practice grows, you’ll likely start seeing patients for a long time. Simply put, patients need chronic care management if they’re going to be happy and healthy. If you have to visit the doctor regularly for a long time, the team looking after you will become a “chronic care manager.”

Strategies for Chronic Care Management

Now that we’ve gone over what chronic care management is and what it does, let’s look at some of the common challenges and obstacles you may encounter. Finding the right team to manage a patient’s chronic condition effectively it’s important to find the right team. Some conditions are more suited to a collaborative approach than others.

How to Implement CCM in Your Organization

You can implement three main strategies when working with CCM in an organizational setting. The first is clinical decision support systems. This allows you to create a digital health record that uses current technology to collect patient data and perform analytics to make decisions on the next steps. This could include sending a patient to the doctor, a patient to a physical location, and more. Depending on the organization you work for, some of these systems may already be in place. The second is administrative systems. This includes everything from software to providing logistical support to ensure employees are never too far from access to technology. The last strategy is technological. This includes using the latest hardware and software to support the best practices for CCM.

Conclusion

Chronic care management is the best way to ensure your patients receive the best possible healthcare. It’s also the most effective way to manage long-term conditions like cancer and heart disease. The best way to implement chronic care management is to get to know your patients and understand their preferences. Then, you can craft a plan that best meets the needs of your patients while keeping you healthy and happy.