Telemedicine has been around for decades, but it is only now starting to be used extensively for chronic disease management. There are many reasons for this, but the most important one is that telemedicine is finally affordable and accessible to everyone.

Chronic disease management is a huge challenge for our healthcare system. There are an estimated 133 million Americans living with one or more chronic conditions, and this number is expected to increase to 157 million by 2020. These chronic conditions are responsible for 7 out of 10 deaths in the United States each year and account for 86% of our healthcare costs.

The goal of chronic disease management is to prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases and to improve the quality of life for those who already have chronic conditions. Telemedicine can play a vital role in achieving this goal.

There are many different approaches to chronic disease management. The most important thing is to find an approach that works for you and your patients. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Educate your patients about their chronic disease

Patients need to understand their disease in order to manage it effectively. They need to know what it is, what causes it, and how it can be controlled. Education can be provided in many different ways, including printed materials, online resources, and in-person classes.

2. Help your patients develop a self-care plan

Self-care is an essential part of chronic disease management. Patients need to know what they need to do to take care of themselves. This includes things like following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and taking their medications as prescribed. A self-care plan can be developed with the help of a healthcare provider, social worker, or other professional.

3. Connect your patients with community resources

There are many community resources that can help patients with chronic diseases. These resources can provide support, education, and assistance with self-care. Some examples include support groups, home health services, and transportation assistance.

4. Coordinate care among all of your patients’ healthcare providers

Chronic disease management often requires coordination among multiple healthcare providers. This includes primary care providers, specialists, and other providers such as home health nurses and therapists. Coordination can be a challenge, but there are many tools and resources available to help.

5. Use technology to your advantage

There are many technology-based tools that can help with chronic disease management. These tools can help with education, self-care, and coordination of care. There are telemedicine services that can be used for chronic disease management. These include live video visits, store-and-forward services, remote patient monitoring, and mobile health applications.

Live video visits are real-time visits between a patient and a provider that are conducted over the internet. Store-and-forward services allow providers to send and receive patient information (such as medical images) electronically. Remote patient monitoring involves the use of technology to track a patient’s health data over time. Mobile health applications are health-related apps that can be downloaded onto a patient’s smartphone or tablet.

Telemedicine can be used for a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It can also be used for mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

There are many benefits of using telemedicine for chronic disease management. However, there are also some challenges that need to be considered.

One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that patients have access to the right telemedicine services. This can be a challenge because there is a lack of standardization in the way that telemedicine services are delivered. This means that it can be difficult for patients to know which services are available to them and how to access them.

Another challenge is making sure that telemedicine services are used effectively. This can be a challenge because there is a lack of evidence-based guidelines for the use of telemedicine in chronic disease management. This means that providers may not be sure how to best use telemedicine to manage their patients’ chronic conditions.

Despite these challenges, telemedicine has the potential to transform the way that chronic disease is managed. It has the potential to improve the quality of life for patients, reduce the cost of care, and improve communication between patients and their care team. Get more information and insights from our experts through a free demo.