One in two U.S. adults has a chronic disease or condition; one in four suffers from two or more of them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic conditions are not only common and debilitating, they are also quite costly. In fact, patients with chronic diseases account for 84 percent of national healthcare spending.
It’s clear to see why prevention and control of chronic conditions is a top concern for many healthcare providers. By offering support and education, many hospitals and clinics are helping patients better their health and quality of life. If you’re interested in finding out more, read on for several tips about educating and promoting help for chronic conditions. We also discuss ideas to further your efforts with health and wellness promotional items.
Helping patients better manage their chronic conditions
Dealing with a chronic illness is difficult. Patients may feel scared, overwhelmed, frustrated or angry about their diagnosis. Providers and support staff may feel helpless there isn’t more they can do to help. Communication and education are extremely important when it comes to helping patients manage their chronic condition. By working together to find the best approach for each patient, you could improve outcomes—and your patients’ outlook!
Support groups
Patients with chronic disease may feel isolated. Sometimes they just need to be around other people who “get it.” Support groups can help your patients make connections with others in a similar situation—friendship, disease management and coping skills are just a few of the valuable takeaways. Whether your facility offers an online group or in-person meetings, promote available support services to those who may need them. Magnets are a great place to imprint support service information. Hand them out in your clinic or mail them. Greet new group members with a welcome gift: An awareness ribbon tote stuffed with health and wellness promotional items, such as lip balm and hand sanitizer, will let everyone know you’re glad they came.
Digital monitoring
According to recent studies, digital medicine—a combination of behavior modification, remote monitoring and physician intervention—can improve patient outcomes. More hospitals and other healthcare providers are gathering data about patient behavior and symptoms to better support patient care. This is done using digital programs. There are programs to monitor blood pressure remotely or text patients reminders to exercise. There are even digital pillboxes that can be monitored virtually. Patients can use mobile apps to report symptoms, track when medications were taken, and log fitness and nutrition information. If digital monitoring would work for your patients, imprint a mini notebook with a quick-response (QR) code that directs them to your app. Health and wellness promotional products, such as pedometers or activity trackers, help patients monitor their progress as well.
Collaborative care
A good doctor-patient relationship is critical to effective chronic-disease management. Physicians must be skilled interviewers, problem solvers and, at times, a source of comfort and support. Patients will be more likely to cooperate when they are involved in deciding on goals and treatments. Imprint the message “I’m here for you” on a stylus pen that can be handed out at appointments. This health and wellness promotional product is a great reminder for patients to jot down questions and contact their care provider with any concerns.
Through support and education, control of chronic conditions is a reachable goal. We hope these tips, along with some health and wellness promotional items to promote your programs, help your patients successfully manage their chronic conditions.