The Role of Technology in Chronic Disease Care

Chronic disease represents the epidemic of our time, present in half the adult population and responsible for 86% of United States (US) healthcare costs and 70% of deaths. The major chronic diseases are primarily due to health risk behaviors that are widely communicable across populations. As a nation, the US has performed poorly in managing chronic disease, in large part because of a failed delivery model of care. New opportunities exist as a result of recent advances in home-based wireless devices, apps and wearables, enabling health delivery systems to monitor disease metrics in near real time. These technologies provide a framework for patient engagement and a new model of care delivery utilizing integrated practice units, both of which are needed to navigate the healthcare needs of the 21st century.