Why Chronic Care Management Isn’t Gaining Traction

Managing patients with multiple chronic conditions-who, according to the RAND Corp., account for about a quarter of the U.S. population but more than two-thirds of healthcare costs-is critical to success in value-based models.

Many providers struggle to enroll enough patients in this program to cover their staffing and technology time and costs. And even a number of chronic care management companies have folded because they couldn’t make the model work.

Creating a pool of experienced nurses that can work closely with physicians’ staff to give the higher acuity patients the extra support they need to catch problems early so they don’t become crises-is key. It’s also important to have technology that can readily integrate with the EHR so that physicians don’t waste precious time getting the program up and running.