Group visits for chronic illness management: implementation challenges and recommendations.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Chronic Disease Management
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Group visits offer a promising approach for enhancing chronic illness self-management.
• Limited information exists on optimal organization and implementation strategies for group visits.
• Effective implementation is crucial for realizing the potential benefits of group visits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on group visit implementation for chronic illness self-management.
• To identify common challenges encountered during group visit implementation.
• To extract recommendations for successful group visit initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A literature review of 84 articles was conducted.
• Implementation challenges and recommendations were systematically abstracted.
• Focus was on studies related to group visits for chronic illness self-management.

Main Results:

• Key implementation challenges include lack of dedicated billing codes, insufficient administrative support, difficulties in participant recruitment and retention, and logistical hurdles (space, scheduling).
• Despite challenges, well-organized group visits can lead to increased patient and provider satisfaction.
• Benefits also include reduced healthcare utilization, improved clinical outcomes, and enhanced provider efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Group visits are a valuable model for chronic illness self-management when properly planned and executed.
• Overcoming identified implementation barriers is essential for widespread adoption and success.
• Future initiatives should focus on addressing administrative, logistical, and patient engagement challenges to maximize benefits.