Currently, 81% of hospital admissions, 91% of prescriptions filled, 76% of health-provider visits and 75% of home healthcare visits are for Medicare patients living with chronic conditions. Of these 85% have at least one chronic conditions and 23% have five or more – accounting for two-thirds of all Medicare Spending. These demographics are expected to continue to escalate and Baby Boomers will comprise 73% of the U.S. population by 2030, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for 2017 identified 2,626,418 deaths. Of these, Cardiovascular disease accounted for $317 billion in costs. Adults die from a cardiac related death, such as myocardial infarction every 4 seconds. Smoking related deaths costs the U.S. $300 billion per year. These 2 conditions cost the U.S. excessive resources due to frequent exacerbations and hospitalizations leading to increasing rates of morbidity and mortality.
Implementation of palliative care – reduces disease exacerbations in this patient population. Promoting improved quality of life, reduction in morbidity, improved physical functioning and decreased healthcare costs.
PALLIATIVE CARE SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH END-OF-LIFE OR HOSPICE CARE. Palliative care includes the use and implementation of evidence to ensure best practices that promote optimal outcomes for the largest, fastest growing and costliest U.S. patient population – those living with Multiple Chronic Conditions.
THE MULTIPLE CHRONIC CONDITIONS RESOURCE CENTER offers FREE access to current guideline recommendations, updated policy and practice briefs, weblinks, blogs, e-books and more.