Combining Technology with Monitoring & Support to Manage Chronic Illnesses

Chronic health conditions limit the activities of people every day. Approximately 133 million Americans have a chronic health condition, equating to 45% of the population, and the problem of how to manage these illnesses grows each year. They broadly reference diseases that last more than 12 months, including heart disease, COPD, diabetes, and hypertension. A recent paper from The Milken Institute stated that chronic healthcare in the US alone amounted to $1.1 trillion in 2016. Due to the need for continuous medical attention over an extended period, these illnesses cost more than your usual broken bone. In questioning how we can effectively treat chronic illnesses, The Health Bank's (THB) Disease Management Program (Chronic Care) has enlisted the help of technology to create a seamless care system. Our model prescribes a set of activities, emphasizing the active and continuous monitoring of chronic diseases, as well as educating patients about their illness and teaching them self-care techniques. In an innovative approach, THB’s holistic system draws on multi-disciplinary teams to formulate a versatile system for our patients. The hallmark of THB’s effective treatment is our use of technology, modernizing medicine to tackle its most prevalent issues. In this system, patients can view, receive, and send their medical records in a GDPR compliant way. As chronic illnesses are ongoing, THB identified the importance of continuing healthcare support, which is why our patients have access to a Health Manager, Nutritionist, Physician 24/7 and a Second Medical Opinion on request. ‘Technology enables patient engagement and care navigation,’ says THB. ‘However, due to COVID-19 we're seeing fewer pre-screenings and less diagnoses. A sizeable group of the population need to re-enter medical care, which is where our algorithms come in. We flag high risk patients, and help navigate them back to preventative measures and clinical care where appropriate.’ According to a report from the US National Library of Medicine by Cother Hajata and Emma Stein, one in three adults live with more than one chronic condition. With a world population of 7.8 billion, that equates to 2.6 billion people living with multiple chronic health conditions. In our monitoring and preventive healthcare system, THB seeks to use technological solutions to help patients manage numerous chronic illnesses. THB’s patient journey maps the road to perpetual care. In including an annual exam and accurate health history for all our patients, we create a firm base for monitoring chronic illnesses. Our personalized health plans come connected smart devices, which a caring medical team observe to offer insights and alerts for the patient in real-time. Using our achieved clinical data, we help set achievable targets for blood glucose, weight, blood pressure, habits, as well as their nutrition and lifestyle. THB’s methodology is to respond to real-time data and help patients manage multiple chronic conditions in their day-to-day lives. Studies show that using smart connected devices to monitor chronic illnesses, has proven effective in treating diabetes, and reducing medical spending by 5.8% in one year alone. Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6214883/ www.fightchronicdisease.org https://milkeninstitute.org https://www.livongo.com/impact.html