Chronic Disease Management Software: Benefits, Features, Cost

Key Takeaways

• Chronic disease management software is equipped with effective communication features such as HIPAA-compliant video conferencing, messaging, and calls. Patients and healthcare providers can easily connect remotely.
• Chronic disease management software includes a remote monitoring option that allows healthcare providers and patients to monitor health conditions without routine trips to the clinic.
• Incorporation of data analytics solutions in CDM software can help providers to identify high-risk patients and contribute towards population health management too. Data analytics allows providers to spot chronic illnesses in time and render quick treatment.

A significant rise in chronic diseases amongst the geriatric population and initiatives to manage chronic diseases by the government is driving the chronic disease management software (CDMS) market growth.

Increase in the market growth has compelled healthcare software development companies to invest in and develop chronic disease management software for physicians and patients. This article highlights all the essential components needed to develop a successful chronic disease management software.

Types of Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Solution

1. CRM-Based Solution

Healthcare organizations have begun to leverage CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platforms such as Salesforce, to educate and support patients. CRM-based CDM solution helps to analyze and collect data to identify chronically ill patients and enroll them in a population health management program. It also helps healthcare providers in detecting patients who are due for preventive care such as immunizations, flu shots, crucial screenings (mammography), prenatal and postnatal care, etc.

Automated texts and emails can be sent to patients, so they can get their health check-ups. Furthermore, CRM-based solutions such as Salesforce can connect providers, and make it possible for them to collaborate effectively.

2. Custom Chronic Disease Management Software

Custom chronic disease management software is not designed on a platform such as Salesforce, rather it is built from scratch. It takes into account the perspectives, pains, challenges, and needs of the healthcare providers and patients who will be using it; based on which the software is developed. Every feature and functionality is customized as per the requirements of healthcare organizations and users. CRM-based solutions don’t have the option of optimizing features as per the needs of doctors and patients.

Customized software can be expensive, but it also comes with maintenance and support offered by vendors. One can directly connect with the vendors in case of any software glitches and they’ll get it fixed. Also, healthcare software developers are well-versed in HIPAA compliance regulations, which is a mandatory requirement for healthcare systems. They design and develop products as per these regulations, failure to comply with HIPAA results in penalties and charges.

Benefits of Chronic Disease Management Software

1. Effective Communication between Patients and Providers

Chronic disease management software is equipped with effective communication features such as HIPAA-compliant video conferencing, messaging, and calls. Patients and healthcare providers can easily connect remotely. This is quite helpful for the older population suffering from chronic diseases.

The elderly are prone to stay at home or may be bedridden, so video conferencing is an effective medium to connect with their doctors and seek timely treatment. Healthcare providers can assess patients remotely, track their vitals, nutrition, and healthcare data, and then offer adequate medication (e-prescriptions).

2. Patient-Centric and Personalized Care

There is a range of chronic diseases, so every patient has to be treated differently, in a personalized way. To capture relevant patient data for personalized treatment, the CDM software can be integrated with EHR (Electronic Health Records) system. The data thus obtained helps healthcare providers to offer patient-centric care.

For example, in the case of diabetic patients, providers can access patient data from EHR, which includes blood glucose levels, possible wounds, and stress (if any), and analyze it. Based on data analysis, providers can help diabetic patients to set their care goals and intervene if the desired goals aren’t fulfilled periodically.

3. Personalized Patient Engagement

Patient engagement is an essential arsenal in improving chronic care management. If patients are completely aware of their health situation, then they can track their treatment better and take timely action. With chronic disease management software, care providers can send patient reports and communicate with them about their health.

They can also emphasize the importance of preventive screenings via messaging. Also, CDM software can be integrated with patient portals, which is a great way to promote educational content on chronic illness and ways to prevent it, thereby, enhancing patient engagement.

4. Remote Monitoring

Chronic disease management software includes a remote monitoring option that allows healthcare providers and patients to monitor health conditions without routine trips to the clinic. Several chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes require continuous monitoring, so remote monitoring option helps to manage blood sugar levels, weigh scales for obese patients, blood pressure levels, pulse oximeter, etc.

Features of Chronic Disease Management Software

1. Data Analytics and Reporting

Incorporation of data analytics solutions in CDM software can help providers to identify high-risk patients and contribute towards population health management too. Data analytics allows providers to spot chronic illnesses in time and render quick treatment. Early medication reduces costs for patients. Health data insights guide medical professionals to engage in preventive care methods to minimize risks and improve the quality of care. It also reduces the occurrence of chronic diseases by offering providers insights into asymptomatic patients. Reporting includes time logs, care plans, user activity, enrollment information, and claims and billing data.

2. Notifications

The chronic disease management software is designed to send personalized notifications to patients about their upcoming appointments, medication intake, guidelines on chronic care, e-prescriptions, etc. These notifications can be automated, so providers don’t always have to type in manually. Notifications ensure that patients, who may have forgotten about their appointments or medication carry it out on time. Missed appointments can hamper the routine of doctors, impact their revenue stream, and also impact the health of their patients.

3. Health Tracker

This feature allows healthcare providers and patients to note their real-time health conditions. One can choose to link wearable devices to chronic disease management software for effective health tracking and monitoring. Wearables such as FitBits and Apple watches are equipped with features like pulse oximeter, heart rate, blood pressure, etc., which can prove to be useful data for someone suffering from a chronic illness like hypertension.

4. Medication Intake Alerts

This feature works best for the elderly population and for those who have to intake multiple medications. Elderly people may have issues with remembering if they’ve taken their dosage, so this feature can be used to ensure that they don’t miss a single dose. Medication intake alerts can be set on the software.

5. Nutrition Recommendations

This is a must-have feature for patients as a good diet can help to keep chronic illness at bay. For people with hypertension, it can advise on which foods to cut out to maintain a normal cholesterol level, or for people with diabetes it can help them to stick to a sugar-free diet.

Cost of Chronic Disease Management Software

Chronic care requires extra attention, patient engagement, and patient-centric care, so the software is built by keeping these aspects in mind. The cost of which will vary as per the features and functionalities installed in the chronic disease management software. It also depends on low-cost or premium-based software.

A low-cost CDM software can support the medical staff, however, it can increase the administrative workload and clinical tasks due to its limitations. A premium-based software, on the other hand, will contain features to handle complex administrative work and also result in high ROI. On average, chronic disease management software can range from $25,000 to $50,000, with basic to advanced features.

If you’re looking for chronic disease management software or any other healthcare management software, then just connect with Arkenea, a leading healthcare software development company.