Chronic disease (including cancer) represents a significant portion of the healthcare budget for Western Australian health system. The cost is projected to increase dramatically over the next 10 years if interventions within primary care, education, and the environment are not implemented. The growing personal, social and economic burden of chronic disease underscores the need for change and challenges us to transform the way health care is delivered, extending beyond the acute management in hospital clinics.
Historically, disease specific management has been the approach to caring for individuals; often overlooking chronic diseases can be interrelated and commonly occur together. Disease management has also focused on acute symptoms and have not been part of a multifaceted approach looking at health promotion, prevention and early intervention. Care has primarily been in hospitals and not focused on self-management and community engagement, with the main goal to support people to stay well in their community.
In the recent Sustainable Health Review Interim Report to the WA Government (2018) a strong case for healthcare transformation is made with emphasis on sustainable programs that are cost effective and patient centred. We aim to establish a NP led CDSC model that will improve health outcomes, keep people healthy, and in their communities through (1) clinical practice, (2) education opportunities for students, and (3) building an evidence base for models of innovative chronic disease management in primary health care.
The proposed clinic will be an innovative model of care, delivering coordinated services for all chronic diseases, including cancer. It will focus on management of chronic conditions taking a holistic family centred approach to assessment and management (physical, social, spiritual, lifestyle and psychological well-being) within the community setting.