In our country, the demographic changethe increase in population aging, the advancement of medicine or the adoption of new lifestyle habits have generated a new pattern of morbidity, characterized by the predominance of chronic diseases.
one in five Spaniards suffer from at least one chronic illness. A figure that rises to one in three, if we talk about people who live with several chronic pathologiessuch as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases—often interconnected and responsible for the development of high-impact comorbidities for patients—and respiratory. All of them usually coexist in the same person and are currently the world’s leading cause of death.
This patient profile multipathological chronicor complex, is determining the new reality of chronicity, as the first cause of health spending in Spain and constituting the 80% of the queries Primary Care. Furthermore, it is estimated that the presence of several chronic pathologies and comorbidities can increase up to a 300% the use of resources.
The new paradigm of chronicity requires a change in health policies in our country. Well, attention to chronicity by administrations has been slowed down, since the pandemic due to Covid-19giving rise to chronic patients themselves feeling “forgotten“.
From the CH2025 Platform We consider that a review of the national chronicity strategy is urgent, agreed upon with the autonomous communities and that adapts the care models of the patients. healthcare systems to profiles whose approach and monitoring are more complex as they present multiple pathologies.
To promote the strengthening of Primary Care as entrance door from the chronic patient to the system, the measurement of results is essential, the coordination with social resources and Hospital Care, accessibility and patient participation; main challenges of PC to improve continuity of care.
In this process, it is also key to have all the agents socio-health (case or school nurse managers, pharmacists, social workers or patient organizations) who accompany patients and family members or caregivers, as well as being heard the voice of these people. This is what we collect in the report Chronicity in public health policies. Recommendations to define a common framework for approaching complex chronic patients.
A work that aims to help health administrations, with whom we are always open to working together for the health of the population and, specifically, to improve quality of life of chronic patients.
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