The benefits of working together through Disease Management

The concept and practice of disease management within the health care system is based around the idea of knowledge building, the sharing of that knowledge and community building. It can be defined as a network of coordinated and integrated health care systems and professionals as well as family and friends which aim at improving the status of patients through the sharing of knowledge, responsibility and care. In order for an idea such as this to be effective itis important that the whole system from health care practitioners to the patient and caretakers fully work together as a support system. Disease management has been labeled as a population health strategy as well as a way to approach one’s personal health issues.

There are a number of different goals that disease management hopes to achieve. There have been sources who have linked the practice to possibly reducing health care costs, however that goal is less focused on when it comes to this practice. The first and foremost goal is to minimize the negative side effects of the disease, as well as improve the patient’s overall quality of life. In many cases disease management communities or networks will focus on one or a couple of chronic diseases that affect a fairly large amount of the population. Some of the most common chronic diseases that utilize this health care practice include obesity, asthma, osteoporosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as a number of other common sicknesses.