Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions: Building Blocks for Action

This global report states that health care systems around the world must reorganize their health care to meet the rising burden of chronic conditions. It alerts decision-makers throughout the world about these important changes in global health, and presents health care solutions for managing this rising burden.

The report presents a “road map” for countries and health systems to update their health care to meet the needs of chronic conditions. The proposed building blocks of the Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions Framework are relevant for both prevention and disease-management in health care settings. Recommendations are given for improving the quality of patient interactions, organization of health care, community involvement, policy and financing systems.

Chapter 1. Chronic conditions: the health care challenge of the 21st century
Introduces the reader to the term “chronic conditions” which describes health problems that persist across time and require some degree of health care management. Information is presented concerning the escalating global burden of chronic conditions and their economic impact on patients, families, communities, and governments.

Chapter 2. Current systems are not designed for chronic problems
Addresses the deficits in current systems of health to successfully manage chronic conditions. Because health care systems have evolved around the concept of acute, infectious disease, with the demographic transition towards chronic conditions these systems cannot meet the health care needs of the population. As long as the acute care model dominates health care systems, health care expenditures will continue to escalate, but improvements in populations’ health status will not.

Chapter 3. Innovations in care: meeting the challenge of chronic conditions
Presents the Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions (ICCC) Framework for health care systems to improve care for chronic conditions. The ICCC Framework is comprised of fundamental components within the patient, health care organization and community, and policy levels. These components are described as “building blocks“ that can be used to create or re-design health care systems to more effectively manage long term health problems.

Chapter 4. Taking action to improve care for chronic conditions
Provides specific strategies for creating innovations in the care of chronic conditions. Eight essential elements for improving care are described, and decision-makers are also given strategies for where to begin making changes to improve care for chronic problems.

Annex. Innovative approaches for care: the evidence from
case studies to randomized trials
Presents innovative approaches and creative programmes for improving the management and outcomes associated with chronic conditions that have been developing around the world. These innovations in care range from education and self-management training to integrating volunteers and community lay persons to provide services.

The global report in other languages

The Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions: Building Blocks For Action is available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish languages. Select below to download the executive summary and full report, or to order hard copy and see more information.