Connie Davis

Self-Management Aspects of the Improving Chronic Illness Care Breakthrough Series: Implementation With Diabetes and Heart Failure Teams

Self-management is an essential but frequently neglected component of chronic illness management that is challenging to implement. Available effectiveness data regarding self-management interventions tend to be from stand-alone programs rather than from efforts to integrate self-management into routine medical care. This article describes efforts to integrate self-management support into broader health care systems change to improve the quality of patient care in the Chronic Illness Care Breakthrough Series. We describe the general approach to system change (the Chronic Care Model) and the more specific self-management training model used. The process used in training organizations in self-management is discussed, and data are presented on teams from 21 health care systems participating in a 13-month-long Breakthrough Series to address diabetes and heart failure care. Available system-level data suggest that teams from a variety of health care organizations made improvements in support provided for self-management. Improvements were found for both diabetes and heart failure teams, suggesting that this improvement process may be broadly applicable. Lessons learned, keys to suc cess, and directions for future research and practice are discussed.

Preventing Disability and Managing Chronic Illness in Frail Older Adults: A Randomized Trial of a Community-Based Partnership with Primary Care

BACKGROUND: Effective new strategies that complement primary care are needed to reduce disability risks and improve self‐management of chronic illness in frail older people living in the community.

Implementing Practical Interventions to Support Chronic Illness Self-Management

BACKGROUND Self-management support (SMS) is the area of disease management least often implemented and most challenging to integrate into usual care. This article outlines a model of SMS applicable across different chronic illnesses and health care systems, presents recommendations for assisting health care professionals and practice teams to make changes, and provides tips and lessons learned. Strategies can be applied across a wide range of conditions and settings by health educators, care managers, quality improvement specialists, researchers, program evaluators, and clinician leaders. Successful SMS programs involve changes at multiple levels: patient-clinician interactions; office environment changes; and health system, policy, and environmental supports. PATIENT-CLINICIAN INTERACTION LEVEL: Self-management by patients is not optional but inevitable because clinicians are present for only a fraction of the patients life, and nearly all outcomes are mediated through patient behavior. Clinicians who believe they are in control or responsible for a patients well-being are less able to adopt an approach that acknowledges the central role of the patient in his or her care. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Self-management should be an integral part of primary care, an ongoing iterative process, and patient centered; use collaborative goal setting and decision making; and include problem solving, outreach, and systematic follow-up.

The Use of Automated Data to Identify Complications and Comorbidities of Diabetes: A Validation Study

We evaluated the accuracy of administrative data for identifying complications and comorbidities of diabetes using International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, Clinical Modification and Current Procedural Terminology codes. The records of 471 randomly selected diabetic patients were reviewed for complications from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1995; chart data served to validate automated data. The complications with the highest sensitivity determined by a diagnosis in the medical records identified within +/-60 days of the database date were myocardial infarction (95.2%); amputation (94.4%); ischemic heart disease (90.3%); stroke (91.2%); osteomyelitis (79.2%); and retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, and vitrectomy (73.5%). With the exception of amputation (82.9%), positive predictive value was low when based on a diagnosis identified within +/-60 days of the database date but increased with relaxation of the time constraints to include confirmation of the condition at any time during 1993-1995: ulcers (88.5%); amputation (85.4%); and retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage and vitrectomy (79.8%). Automated data are useful for ascertaining potential cases of some diabetic complications but require confirmatory evidence when they are to be used for research purposes.

Twelve evidence-based principles for implementing self-management support in primary care.

BACKGROUND Recommendations to improve self-management support and health outcomes for people with chronic conditions in primary care settings are provided on the basis of expert opinion supported by evidence for practices and processes. Practices and processes that could improve self-management support in primary care were identified through a nominal group process. In a targeted search strategy, reviews and meta-analyses were then identifed using terms from a wide range of chronic conditions and behavioral risk factors in combination with Self-Care, Self-Management, and Primary Care. On the basis of these reviews, evidence-based principles for self-management support were developed. FINDINGS The evidence is organized within the framework of the Chronic Care Model. Evidence-based principles in 12 areas were associated with improved patient self-management and/or health outcomes: (1) brief targeted assessment, (2) evidence-based information to guide shared decision-making, (3) use of a nonjudgmental approach, (4) collaborative priority and goal setting, (5) collaborative problem solving, (6) self-management support by diverse providers, (7) self-management interventions delivered by diverse formats, (8) patient self-efficacy, (9) active followup, (10) guideline-based case management for selected patients, (11) linkages to evidence-based community programs, and (12) multifaceted interventions. A framework is provided for implementing these principles in three phases of the primary care visit: enhanced previsit assessment, a focused clinical encounter, and expanded postvisit options. CONCLUSIONS There is a growing evidence base for how self-management support for chronic conditions can be integrated into routine health care.

Benefits to volunteers in a community-based health promotion and chronic illness self-management program for the elderly

1. Volunteers for health promotion programs tend to be younger and healthier than program participants. 2. Volunteers in a health promotion program reported improved health and function. 3. Nurses involved in health promotion programs can extend their efforts by using trained volunteers.

Case management and the chronic care model: a multidisciplinary role.

The core functions of case management, assessment, planning, linking, monitoring, advocacy, and outreach assume a new perspective in the context of systems that have adopted the Chronic Care Model. This article considers case management through the experience of three systems that have implemented the Chronic Care Model. A movement toward condition neutral case management, focused on care that is more wholly patient centric, is also examined.

Elements of Effective Chronic Care: A Model for Optimizing Outcomes for the Chronically Ill

Current estimates are that there are 2.3 million individuals with epilepsy among 99 million Americans suffering from chronic medical conditions. The healthcare system is designed to treat acutely ill patients and, as a result, often fails to meet the needs of the chronically ill. Care is provided in brief, problem-focused visits. Multiple studies have shown that this type of standard practice produces suboptimal care and outcomes, and is unsatisfactory to both patients and care providers. We developed the Chronic Care Model in an effort to synthesize system and practice changes associated with better outcomes. In patient care as described in this model, patient-provider interactions are planned in advance in accordance with evidence-based guidelines. A primary focus is on assisting patients and their families in becoming competent self-managers. The Chronic Care Model has been successfully implemented by more than 200 healthcare systems. In this paper, we explore the applicability of the Chronic Care Model in managing patients with epilepsy.

Case Studies from Two Collaboratives on Diabetes in Washington State

Two individual teams, one from a small, rural clinic and one from a larger urban health system, were able to introduce innovations in care and realize improvement in patient outcomes.

CIRCADIAN RHYTMS: Charting Oral Temperatures to Spot Abnormalities

1. A normal daily variation in body temperature is found in the elderly. Normal oral temperature in an older person is lower than in a younger person, and the temperature peaks in the early afternoon and is lowest in the early morning hours before awakening. 2. Elderly subjects may be more prone to hypothermia in the early morning hours when their body temperature is naturally lower. Bathing may cause the body temperature to drop up to 1 degree C and add to this risk. 3. Many factors should be considered when analyzing temperature data for the determination of fever. Time of day, as well as symptoms of infection, should be considered. 4. Disturbances in circadian temperature rhythms accompany central nervous system dysfunction and may be an early indicator of other illnesses.