What is chronic care management (CCM) in healthcare? It is a roadmap, created by you and your healthcare provider, for taking care of ongoing medical issues. 

The goal of chronic care management can depend on the nature of your condition and your lifestyle. However, the focus is always on limiting unwanted effects and improving or maintaining your quality of life.

What are chronic care management steps?

Your roadmap for health will likely consist of several different components. You will likely consider medications, whether they are pills you take every day or medicines you use to treat acute flare-ups.

Chronic condition management can also consist of diet and food choices, an exercise or fitness routine, physical and mental health treatments, and any other steps that positively impact your quality of life.

The chronic care management plan that you establish can serve as a reference for the different healthcare providers you work with during your treatment. It helps them work together toward your stated goals.

Finally, there can sometimes be a remote monitoring component to chronic condition management. This could include things like a heart monitor, blood pressure readings, blood sugar measurements, or data from a wearable monitor.

What conditions qualify for chronic care management?

Chronic care management is a system of provider-coordinated care for people with one or more ongoing medical conditions. It is typically separate from Medicare and Medicaid, though the services can be covered by these programs.

When does an illness become chronic? Physicians will typically begin calling a condition "chronic" if you have had it for more than a year.

Here are some examples of common chronic illnesses.

1. Cardiovascular illnesses, such as hypertension
2. Diabetes
3. Mental and psychosocial illnesses, such as autism, dementia, depression, and Alzheimer's
4. Pulmonary illnesses like COPD and asthma
5. Cancer
6. Autoimmune diseases, including lupus and multiple sclerosis
7. Kidney failure
8. Epilepsy and seizure disorders
9. Musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis

Chronic care management is especially important for people with multiple ailments. 

How does chronic care management work?

There are many prescriptions to take, appointments to keep, and tests to be done when you have more than one chronic illness. CCM works by helping patients manage their medical conditions in the easiest way possible.

The healthcare provider assigns a practitioner as the main point of contact to help patients whenever they need assistance. The provider can offer remote consultations via video call. They can also access the patient's medical history and records to find out details about treatments or medications in case the patient has forgotten.

The CCM provider can contact your pharmacy to adjust medications for you, help you schedule appointments, and communicate with doctors, nurses, or other medical practitioners on your behalf so that you do not have to spend all day on the phone. 

With one contact point, it is much easier to manage your care. You will not have to navigate the sometimes-confusing healthcare industry on your own. This factor itself can help improve your quality of life and allow you to spend your free time doing what you want instead of managing your medical care.

Why choose Phoenix Medwell for chronic care management?

At Phoenix Medical and Wellness Clinic, we offer chronic care management services for a variety of conditions. We can help you manage your treatment plan, keep track of all the different elements, and ensure you always have the information and services you need at your fingertips. With our CCM services, we strive to help our patients achieve complete health and wellness and improve or maintain their quality of life.  

If you are in Texas and would like to talk about developing a CCM plan, contact us today to book an appointment.

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