Meeting a primary care challenge in the United States: chronic illness care.
Leading health care experts in the United States have stated that the greatest primary care challenge today is meeting the complex needs of patients with chronic illness/long-term conditions or impairment.To address this challenge, there is a need for health care system redesign that requires a multidisciplinary team approach, including active participation from professional nurses. In particular, it is essential for advanced practice nurses to provide leadership in health systems design for which they are specifically trained and experienced. In this article, the primary care challenge related to chronic illness care management is addressed. Future implications for community-based, chronic illness care delivery and the education of future health care providers with a focus on advanced practice nurses will also be discussed.
Adult Nurse Practitioner Program, Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Joanne M
JM
Saxe
Susan L
SL
Janson
Patricia M
PM
Dennehy
Susan
S
Stringari-Murray
Jane E
JE
Hirsch
Catherine M
CM
Waters
D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States