GP chronic disease programme described as ‘highly successful’

Over 90 per cent of GPs are currently participating in the structured chronic disease management (CDM) programme in general practice, a new report has found.

The second report into the implementation of the programme also found that 83 per cent of eligible patients (65 years and older) are enrolled. The HSE said the report showed that the first two years of the programme has been “highly successful”.

The report focuses on the first two years of implementation from January 2020 to January 2022. It largely describes a population aged 65 years and over due to the age-based phased introduction of the programme.

Under the programme around 800,000 reviews have been carried out by GPs and practice nurses, with 91 per cent of patients with chronic disease not attending hospital for the ongoing management of their chronic condition, which was now fully managed routinely in primary care.

The report noted that 13 per cent  of patients had given up smoking between the first and third visit under the programme. Then of patients “who were obese at their first visit, 1 per cent of these had achieved normal weight and a further 13 per  cent of them had reduced weight and are now… in the overweight category rather than obese”.

“The chronic disease management programme is an example of the HSE’s commitment to enhancing healthcare in the community and bringing care closer to people’s home,” said Dr Orlaith O’Reilly, HSE National Clinical Advisor Chronic Disease.

“The implementation of the CDM treatment programme over the first two years should be considered highly successful. Promising trends in lifestyle and medical risk factors behaviours have been shown with increasing numbers of reviews.

“As the chronic disease management programme is rolled out it will result in a reduction in hospital attendance by patients with these conditions.”