Chronic diseases are complex, long-lasting health conditions that have a range of impacts on the body, and if you’re living with a chronic disease, you already know how it affects your quality of life.
This is why a chronic disease management plan is so important.
In this blog, we’ll dive into chronic diseases, explain what they are, and discuss how your doctor can help you manage your condition effectively.
What is a chronic disease management plan?
A disease is considered to be chronic if it’s ongoing for six months or more. And there’s no standard form of chronic disease. From arthritis and osteoporosis to diabetes, dementia, and even cancer, they come in many forms and impact people in many different ways.
However, managing a chronic condition isn’t something you have to do alone. Chronic disease management is a specialist GP service that can help you access the right support for your specific condition.
Your GP provides ongoing guidance to help you manage your health. They work with you to develop a structured care plan, identifying your needs and available services to support your condition.
Obtaining a Chronic Disease Management Plan
Medical care and treatment
The first step of chronic disease management is to see your GP. They can help to diagnose your condition and determine the ongoing care, treatment, and medication that will support you on your health journey.
Lifestyle changes
Chronic conditions can impact your day-to-day life. However, there are some lifestyle changes that can help to improve your quality of life.
Quitting smoking is a big one. Getting moving and active is another key contributor to helping manage chronic disease. Your doctor can provide physical activity recommendations based on your fitness and flexibility levels.
It’s also important to have a well-rounded approach by eating a nutritious diet, limiting alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping your blood pressure in check.
Patient education and self-monitoring
Your GP can provide relevant literature and direction on where to get more information to help you understand the symptoms, warning signs, triggers, and ongoing effects of chronic disease.
They can also provide ways to monitor your health as your condition progresses, whether through physical tracking tools or apps that help you input and store data.
Support systems and community involvement
As well as a GP, your family, and caregivers, there are a range of organisations, support groups, not-for-profits, and online communities that have evolved into an ecosystem of chronic disease support. Your GP can put you in contact with the right groups to support you on your journey.
Preventative care and early intervention
Some chronic conditions can be prevented through lifestyle changes and proactive healthcare. However, many are unavoidable—often due to genetics—or, in rare cases, have no known cause. With this being said, they can still be identified early. Early intervention is key to providing you with the best chance of directly managing any chronic conditions.
If you notice any symptoms that are out of the ordinary, or worrying, or you just want peace of mind, see your GP for a check-up or screening procedure, or to help you access national population screening programs that test for common chronic conditions or cancers.
Seeing your GP is the first step in managing chronic disease
While you may be living with a chronic disease, there are steps you can take to ensure you have the best quality of life possible.
The first step is to get in touch with your GP. They can discuss your chronic condition—or determine if you have one—and then help you identify and map out the steps towards a comprehensive chronic disease management plan.
Get in touch with Brecken Health Mandurah to speak with your GP about managing a chronic disease together.
