Chronic Disease Management

Chronic disease management helps you live a better life when you have one or more long-term health problems. Richard Hilburn, MD, FACP, and his team at Goals of Care, PLLC, in Herndon, Virginia, provide holistic care for people with conditions including chronic pain, heart disease, and hypertension. Call Goals of Care, PLLC, to inquire further about chronic disease management’s benefits or schedule a consultation online today.

What is the purpose of chronic disease management?

Chronic diseases are often painful and disabling, and many can cause severe complications. For example, poorly managed diabetes may lead to organ failure, heart disease, and diabetic ulcers that result in limb amputation.

However, with expert chronic disease management, you can reduce your risk of developing complications and limit long-term illnesses' effects on your quality of life.

Your provider at Goals of Care, PLLC, gives you information and advice on optimizing your general health and identifies any deterioration in your condition promptly so you get the additional care you need.

What conditions benefit from chronic disease management?

Conditions that benefit from chronic disease management include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Arthritis
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Thyroid disease
• Diabetes
• Depression and anxiety
• Allergies
• Dementia
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Asthma
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Cerebrovascular disease

Cerebrovascular diseases involve blood flow restriction in your brain. Some people have vascular malformations (abnormal blood vessels), but strokes are the most common chronic problem.

These happen when the large artery in your neck becomes blocked due to carotid artery disease. The blood flow to your brain stops, causing an acute, potentially life-threatening event (stroke).

After recovering from a stroke, many people suffer from disabilities. Speech problems and a degree of paralysis are common. Hemiparesis causes one-sided weakness that limits movement and affects daily activities such as eating, dressing, and walking. The chronic disease management program at Goals of Care, PLLC, supports stroke rehabilitation.

What does a chronic disease management program involve?

The specifics of any patient’s chronic disease management program vary depending on their condition. Still, basic services include:

Routine health checks

Regular visits to Goals of Care, PLLC, enable your provider to monitor your health and make treatment changes where necessary. You can raise any issues and ensure your treatment is effective. You might also benefit from specific procedures for certain diseases, such as a diabetic foot check.

Testing

You might require regular lab tests to measure your cholesterol and blood sugar levels and procedures like blood pressure measurement.

Medication management

Most people with chronic conditions take one or more medications. Medication management reviews ensure that the drugs you’re on are beneficial and don’t cause unpleasant or harmful side effects.

Call Goals of Care, PLLC, to learn more about chronic disease management, or book an appointment online today.