Aging is a natural process for all humans. However, aging fairly healthy doesn’t mean you don’t risk developing medical issues later in life. In fact, as you age, the chances of chronic medical conditions surfacing increase.
Whether the underlying disease is due to autoimmune issues, genetics, or an injury you suffered, you have a right to avail all the necessary healthcare tools that make the condition’s management easier for you and your caregiver.
Chronic care management, or CCM, is one such tool that is increasingly becoming common.
What is Chronic Care Management?
Chronic care management is a specialized medical care management service program that is in place for patients with chronic medical conditions. It establishes a solid and continuous relationship of the patient with the medical caregivers, professionals, and personnel.
The chronic care management program was first introduced in 2015 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It was laid as a separately paid service under the Medicare fee structure.
The idea was to offer a specialized program that works for patients suffering from choric illness and their medical care team. So it created an avenue for ease of compensation for medical personnel who engaged in providing care outside the traditional norms of clinics.
Thus, this idea worked incredibly as practitioners were billed for the time spent in managing the patient’s conditions outside an average hospital or clinic visit. It led to an efficient solution for patients with chronic conditions as the care team’s proactivity reduced the treatment costs.
Which Chronic Conditions Are Eligible For CCM?
If any condition meets the Medicare criteria of coverage, it can also improve the quality of chronic care management. Following are some of the most common ailments that qualify for CCM:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Atrial fibrillation
- Autism
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Hypertension
- HIV/AIDS
- Lupus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Substance use disorders
Goals and Benefits of Chronic Care Management
A comprehensive care plan is laid out for chronic care management that includes personal information of the patient and their healthcare providers and the patient’s medical history. This allows all the parties involved to determine the adequate course of action to take for achieving the following goals and benefits:
- Improving The Quality of Patient’s Life
The number one goal of chronic care management is to improve the quality of the patient’s life. People suffering from chronic ailments struggle with some of the most normal and mundane daily life tasks. Support from a proactive CCM team helps them lead a comfortable life and meet their health goals without causing additional distress.
- Cuts Back on In-Patient Visits
From both the care provider and patient’s perspective, CCM can be highly beneficial in reducing hospitalizations and visits. It leads to improvement in the patient’s health and reduces the chances of it becoming serious. This significantly cuts treatment costs and the need to have in-patient visits with the doctor.
- Improved Healthcare Outcomes
The CCM program bridges proactive caregivers and medical personnel with patients suffering from chronic diseases to achieve improved healthcare outcomes. As CCM works great for the benefit of the overall healthcare system – the resources are utilized for optimum results both for patient care and medical professionals.
- Reduction in Treatment Costs
Naturally, as the patient improves and CCM is working successfully, it deliberately cuts down treatment costs for the patient. There is hardly any need for additional medication, hospitalizations, or in-patient visits – all the factors that usually add to medical bills.
- Proactive Care & Personalized Attention
CCM allows the patient to receive personalized care in a comfortable environment. Proactive caregivers keep them improving and comfortable while they battle chronic conditions.
Bottom Line
While CCM has a vast network of benefits and goals, especially for patients suffering from chronic ailments, ultimately, it is the best course of action for everyone. From access to care to fewer hospitalizations, reduced treatment costs, better outcomes, and achieving personalized patient care goals – it is an overall effective and value-based care program that is crucial to the healthcare system on the whole.
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