People with chronic diseases often have multiple healthcare providers and must navigate the healthcare system independently. This can be a difficult and confusing task, especially for those with complex medical needs. In addition, people with chronic diseases often receive care from multiple providers in different settings. For instance, primary care, specialty care, hospital, and home health can make it challenging to coordinate care and ensure that all providers know the individual’s complete medical history. This can result in duplication of services, fragmented care, and potential errors since important information is often not shared between providers.
Numerous variables contribute to the quality gap in care for people with chronic diseases, which has been an ongoing problem. The fact that chronic conditions frequently demand a greater degree of coordination and care than acute illnesses is one of the key causes of this difference. This is because managing and properly treating chronic diseases is typically more complicated and takes longer. The fact that patients’ life quality is frequently significantly impacted by chronic diseases is another factor contributing to this discrepancy. Patients may find it challenging to acquire critical care since they may not be able to pay the costs of treating a chronic disease or may lack the essential transportation to appointments (Bitton et al., 2017). Additionally, people with chronic diseases may feel alone in their struggles because they think they are the sole ones struggling. This might make it challenging for people to get the help they require to manage their condition adequately.
The care coordination quality gap for people with chronic diseases is a persistent problem that has existed for many years. This is because of several things, such as the notion that acute diseases sometimes require less coordination and care than chronic illnesses (Bitton et al., 2017). Furthermore, it might be more challenging for patients to get the treatment they seek since chronic diseases sometimes take longer to treat and manage appropriately. Additionally, patients with chronic diseases sometimes need to see many physicians and get care from various medical professionals, which could make it challenging to coordinate care properly.
Finally, the wider public’s lack of knowledge and comprehension of chronic disease contributes to the quality imbalance in care for chronically ill individuals. Due to this lack of understanding, patients may find it challenging to obtain the knowledge and assistance they require to handle their illnesses adequately. It can also be challenging for medical professionals to give their chronically sick patients the best treatment possible.
The population’s socioeconomic status significantly affects their ability to get healthcare. This occurs because people with lower socioeconomic status are far more likely to reside in places with limited availability of medical professionals and resources. Furthermore, those from lower socioeconomic origins seem to have less funding available for healthcare, which could make it challenging for them to pay for the expenses related to caring for chronic illnesses (Bitton et al., 2017). Finally, those with lower socioeconomic status are likely to work in employment without insurance coverage for their health, making it challenging to access the treatment they require.
Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may have their lives significantly impacted by these discrepancies in access to healthcare. This is owing to the increased prevalence of chronic diseases among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, many of which go untreated due to a lack of accessibility to healthcare (Bitton et al., 2017). As a result, these people also have a higher risk of passing away from their chronic conditions. It is crucial to make healthcare providers and resources available in places with a large concentration of people from lower socioeconomic classes to address healthcare inequalities. For these people to pay the costs of chronic sickness treatment, offering them financial aid is crucial. Last, it is critical to make sure that every employee provides healthcare coverage so that those from low-income families may receive the treatment they require.
The population’s health will be significantly impacted unless the disparity in healthcare access is closed. This is due to the increased likelihood of chronic diseases with poor management among people without access to healthcare. As a result of the lack of access to care, these people are also more likely to pass away from various chronic conditions. It is crucial to supply providers and healthcare resources in places with a significant population of people from lower socioeconomic classes to address healthcare inequalities.
The consequences might be devastating if the imbalance in healthcare accessibility is not closed. Poorer health outcomes are linked to a lack of access to affordable healthcare, and if this trend persists, it might lower life expectancy and raise death rates. The inability to access healthcare may also increase the number of people incapable of working and supporting the economy, which might have a detrimental effect on the population’s general well-being.
In conclusion, the care coordination quality gap is a significant problem for people with chronic diseases. This problem can lead to adverse health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. There are several ways to improve care coordination for people with chronic diseases. These include improving communication between patients and their care providers, increasing technology use, and increasing family and friends’ involvement in the care process.
References
Bitton, A., Ratcliffe, H. L., Veillard, J. H., Kress, D. H., Barkley, S., Kimball, M.,… & Hirschhorn, L. R. (2017). Primary health care as a foundation for strengthening health systems in low-and middle-income countries. Journal of general internal medicine, 32(5), 566-571. Web.