Automated CRM Systems Can Improve Chronic Disease Care: Key Requirements for Patients and Providers

With the general uncertainty that surrounds health care legislation in the United States, one thing has remained a constant concern for most Americans - how they can cut medical costs. This issue is especially troubling for those with chronic diseases who tend to have extremely high long term medical costs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that chronic diseases are "illnesses that are prolonged in duration, do not resolve spontaneously, and are rarely cured completely." Americans spend about $1.8 trillion on the management and treatment of chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease each year.

Many of the most common contributing factors of chronic disease include lifestyle behaviors such as poor nutrition, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and lack of physical activity. Because modification of these behaviors is a key element to improving health, and thereby controlling costs, health care professionals need new ways to help their patients better manage their disorders and lifestyle.

Technological advances have created solutions that give hospitals the ability to provide cost-effective, personalized ways to manage these conditions while also providing the top-notch care patients demand. As more people develop chronic illnesses and the rate of patients with uncompensated care increases, one huge step hospitals can take to reduce these issues is to focus on educating, monitoring, and supporting these patients. It is no secret that in recent years the cost of health care has exploded; the majority of that escalation is due to the cost of chronic care.

Many hospitals have begun to leverage CRM platforms, such as Microsoft Dynamics, to support and educate patients.  There are two main aspects to managing chronic disease with CRM: streamlining internal processes and improving patient-to-hospital communication.

CRM Applications for Hospitals