{"id":17136,"date":"2025-01-08T10:25:55","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T08:25:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atostek.com\/?p=17136"},"modified":"2025-01-08T10:25:55","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T08:25:55","slug":"better-continuity-of-care-would-improve-the-health-of-patients-with-multiple-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atostek.com\/en\/better-continuity-of-care-would-improve-the-health-of-patients-with-multiple-conditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Better continuity of care would improve the health of patients with multiple conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"
In Finland, the increasing prevalence of multiple conditions is a public health challenge, and the related healthcare costs are growing at an alarming rate.<\/strong><\/p>\n Nearly one in three men aged 18-64 and almost half of women of the same age bear the burden of multiple conditions. In the elderly, these figures rise even more dramatically, to over 75 percent. Improving the continuity and quality of care for these patients is not only a matter of humanity but also an economic question. It has been estimated that more systematic coordination of care could reduce premature mortality and cut costs by up to a fifth.<\/p>\n The fragmentation of care has been identified as a significant problem. Numerous patients report experiences where their care does not meet the needs of their daily lives. Changes in health status are not addressed in time, procedures are performed redundantly, and patients often find themselves lost as bystanders in the care pathway. The lack of care coordination is not just a systemic fault; it significantly diminishes people’s quality of life.<\/p>\n Recently, the family doctor model has often been suggested as a solution. Although the model provides an important foundation, it alone is not enough to solve the problems of the comprehensiveness and coordination of care. Continuity of care can also be significantly supported by digital tools. An example of this is the health and care plan tool developed through the cooperation of the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa<\/strong> and Atostek<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It enables detailed discussion about the patient’s care needs and goals. With this tool, a smoother and more effective care relationship can be built, where all professionals involved in the care share the same information regardless of the organization. This reduces unnecessary procedures and improves the patient’s experience.<\/p>\n The development of digital well-being applications will become easier at the turn of the year when the patient data repository Kanta<\/strong> is equipped with a functionality that allows citizens to access their information in the patient data repository through a well-being application or digital service they are using. Patients can track, for example, the development of their health and the fulfillment of care plan goals from their mobile phones.<\/p>\n The use of the service is voluntary for citizens, meaning the application can only retrieve the citizen’s information from Kanta with the citizen’s consent. Digital tools promote a more personal and participatory approach to healthcare in the daily lives of patients.<\/p>\n
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