EMPOWER YOUR LIFE

COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT OF LONG STANDING MEDICAL CONDITIONS THROUGH PERSON CENTERED APPROACH

Self-management of long standing medical condition through person focused approach is a modality of care that PCMH restore health clinic facilitates people through a multi-interventional and integrated approach of health care.

What is a long standing medical condition?

A long standing medical condition, called as chronic diseases are those that are likely to be present for a longer time. A long standing medical condition could be communicable diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B and C or non-communicable health conditions like diabetes, hypertension psychological concerns such as depression etc. They result from a combination of physiological, psychological, environmental and genetic factors and hence the management of chronic illness involves taking into account all these factors and caring for the individual.

Often chronic condition can be controlled and may or may not have complete cure and thus has a huge impact on you and your family’s life in many ways.     

Examples of chronic illness:

Non communicable diseases (NCD) are diseases that are not transmitted directly from one person to another. Some examples of non-communicable diseases are:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Mood disorders
• Personality disorders
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Asthma
• Cancer, etc

Communicable disease is a disease that is transmitted directly from one person to another. Few examples of communicable diseases are:

• HIV and AIDS
• Hepatitis B and C

Why chronic disease condition is a threat?

NCDs dominate the list of the top causes of death in India. In 2016 a staggering 28.1% of all deaths in India were caused by heart conditions. Overall, 61.8% of all deaths in the country were caused by NCDs in 2016. One in four Indians are at risk of dying before the age of seventy due to an NCD (Health issues India, 2019).

In the above given example Mr. K had to go through several challenges and the tension which was created due to the chronic condition lead him to self-isolation and depression having a huge impact on him and his family’s life.

Fig 1: Health deterioration cycle with long standing Medical condition

Fig 2: Explains the physical and psychological needs of people with chronic conditions

Our Model

In line with the chronic care model, our care approach comprises of a mental health provider, psychologist for counseling and therapy along with our team of clinical health provider, a family physician and clinical pharmacologist where we diagnose your condition (Assess) work with you to identify your needs and concerns (Assist), work together to create a personalized care plan (arrange and action).

Take home messages:

• Long standing medical conditions require guided care for effective management of health.
• Pills alone sometimes do not cure a condition as they require a customized and consistent multidisciplinary care.
• Peaceful lifestyle by enhancing emotional and mental wellbeing through holistic care is a requisite for quality living with the long standing medical condition.
• Pharmacological assessment of pill burden and personalized care plan is an added advantage to the advancement of better health.

“When a long standing medical condition is a way of illness, managing it is a way of life”

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