Dealing With Chronic Disease in the 21st Century

Chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, and depression now account for over half of the global disease burden. The WHO report Preparing a Health Care Workforce for the 21st Century: The Challenge of Chronic Conditions describes a new global training model for core competencies for health professionals to deal with this change in disease pattern.

This model has been endorsed by the World Medical Association (WMA), International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Alliance of Patients' Organizations (IAPO) and others.

The report argues that:
First, the workforce needs to organize care around the patient, i.e. to adopt a patient-centred approach.

Second, providers need the communication skills that enable them to collaborate with others. They need not only partner with patients, but work closely with other providers, and join with communities to improve outcomes for patients with chronic conditions.

Third, the workforce needs skills to ensure that the safety and quality of patient care is continuously improved. Fourth, the workforce needs skills that assist them in monitoring patients across time, and using and sharing information through available technology. Finally, the workforce needs to consider patient care and the provider’s role in that care from the broadest perspective, including population-based care, the multiple levels of the health care system and the care continuum.

These abilities and skills are reflected in five basic competencies that apply to all members of the workforce caring for patients with chronic health problems:

1. patient-centred care

2. partnering

3. quality improvement

4. information and communication technology

5. public health perspective