Prior to the recession, free clinics were committed to offering efficient navigation through the safety-net system for marginalized, underserved individuals. In the wake of the economic downturn, clinics are reinventing themselves even further – absorbing an increasing number of uninsured patients, addressing increasingly complex medical conditions and developing innovative strategies to address these challenges.
Two years ago, Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine began taking a cutting edge approach to treating patients with chronic diseases. A large percentage of LVIM’s patients have debilitating chronic and sometimes multiple chronic diseases that need intense treatment. To address this critical issue, LVIM decided to implement a unique method of treating its patients with chronic diseases, allowing them to keep working and improving the quality of their lives. The clinical staff at LVIM developed the Chronic Disease Management Program (CDMP), consisting of three clinics within the program targeting hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). By having one clinician provide all of the tracking, monitoring and treating of the patients, it creates a continuum of care that remains uninterrupted. An important benefit of the program is that when the patients get treatment for one or more of their conditions in one visit it leads to improved compliance and reduction in the amount of office visits, all resulting in better outcomes and healthier lifestyles. This program has resulted in significant health improvements in this demographic of patients.
The second focus of the CDMP is to encourage patients’ responsibility to self-manage by referring all patients to the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self Management Program, “Living Healthy,” workshop which provides the tools, motivation and confidence building skills to promote confident self-management. Sue Russell, LVIM Chief Operating Officer and certified Trainer, conducts the classes in the CDMP. To donate to the Chronic Disease Management clinic, please click here.
