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According to the CDC, six in 10 Americans live with at least one chronic disease like heart disease and stroke, COPD, or diabetes. These and other chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in America; they are also a leading driver of healthcare costs.
These chronic conditions put stress on patients, nurses, doctors and the healthcare system as a whole. People with chronic diseases spend more time in hospitals, account for over 80% of all hospital admissions, are prescribed more medication and utilize more in-office resources. The volume of patients and the complexity of their needs are outpacing the resources of the healthcare system.
Chronic illness is one of the nation’s most costly healthcare challenges. 90% of the nation’s $3.5 trillion in healthcare spending goes to the ongoing treatment of chronic disease.
In a recent survey, 81% of all providers described themselves as overextended or at full capacity. The inability to keep pace with the increasing number of chronically ill patients has created an undue burden for healthcare providers that has resulted in poor patient outcomes and experiences.