When managing a long-term illness, finding the right care is essential for maintaining health, comfort, and quality of life. Chronic care management (CCM) and palliative care are two healthcare services that provide support for individuals with ongoing or serious medical conditions.
Whether you need structured chronic disease management or compassionate comfort care, choosing the right approach allows you to receive the best possible support.
What Is Chronic Care Management?
CCM is ongoing healthcare support for people with long-term conditions. The goal is to improve quality of life and prevent complications that could lead to hospital visits.
What Conditions Qualify for Chronic Care Management?
A patient must have at least two chronic conditions expected to last a year or more to be eligible for CCM. These conditions should also put the patient at risk of worsening health.
Some common qualifying conditions include:
- Diabetes: Managing blood sugar levels and preventing complications.
- Heart disease: Monitoring heart health and reducing risk factors.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Managing breathing difficulties.
- Arthritis: Helping with mobility and pain relief.
- Hypertension: Keeping blood pressure in check to avoid serious issues.
- Depression or anxiety: Providing mental health support alongside physical care.
What Does Chronic Care Management Include?
CCM services focus on keeping patients healthier and preventing emergency medical situations. It includes:
- Medication management: Checking that prescriptions are taken correctly and adjusted as needed.
- Regular check-ins and follow-ups: Monitoring symptoms and addressing concerns early.
- Care coordination: Keeping all healthcare providers informed and working together.
- Health education and self-management: Teaching patients how to manage their condition at home.
For a deeper look, read Understanding the Benefits of Chronic Care Management.
Is Chronic Care Management Worth It?
For many, yes. CCM reduces the risk of hospital stays, improves symptom control, and helps patients stay independent longer. Having a care team that regularly checks in and coordinates treatments makes managing chronic conditions easier and less stressful.
Read Living With Chronic Conditions for more information.
What Is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is specialized medical support for people with serious illnesses. It focuses on improving quality of life by managing symptoms, easing discomfort, and providing emotional support. Unlike treatments that aim to cure a disease, palliative care helps patients feel better while continuing medical care that aligns with their goals.
What Are Examples of Palliative Care?
Palliative care supports patients with a variety of serious illnesses, including:
- Cancer: Easing pain, nausea, fatigue, and emotional distress during or after treatment.
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease): Managing muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, and breathing challenges.
- Heart failure: Controlling shortness of breath, swelling, and fatigue while assisting with treatment decisions.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Helping with breathing issues and oxygen therapy.
- Dementia: Providing support for memory loss, agitation, and caregiver stress.
What Does Palliative Care Include?
It includes:
- Pain and symptom management: Addressing pain, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, and other discomforts.
- Emotional and spiritual support: Helping patients and families cope with the challenges of serious illness.
- Care coordination: Working with doctors, nurses, and specialists to align treatments with patient goals.
- Guidance for complex medical decisions: Assisting patients in making informed choices about their care.
Check out What Palliative Care at Home Includes for a deeper discussion.
When Is Palliative Care Needed?
Palliative care is available at any stage of a serious illness, from diagnosis onward.
Patients can receive palliative care while undergoing treatments like chemotherapy, dialysis, or surgeries. The earlier palliative care begins, the more effective it is at managing symptoms and improving quality of life.
Read Understanding When to Ask for Palliative Care for Yourself or a Loved One for more information.
Is Palliative Care the Same as End-of-Life Care?
No. Palliative care is different from hospice.
While hospice focuses on comfort for patients nearing the end of life, palliative care is provided alongside curative treatments at any stage of an illness. The goal is to increase well-being, whether the patient is managing a long-term condition or facing a life-threatening disease.
Differences Between CCM and Palliative Care
While both chronic care management and palliative care support patients with long-term health conditions, they serve different purposes.
Here is a breakdown of their main differences.
Purpose
- Chronic care management: Focuses on long-term disease management. The goal is to prevent complications, reduce hospital visits, and help patients maintain independence.
- Palliative care: Prioritizes comfort and overall well-being. It addresses symptoms, pain, and emotional challenges to improve the patient’s quality of life (regardless of their treatment plan).
Eligibility & Timing
- Chronic care management: Designed for patients with at least two chronic conditions expected to last a year or more. It provides ongoing support to manage health over time.
- Palliative care: Available for patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses at any stage of their condition. It can be provided alongside curative treatments or as a stand-alone service.
Type of Care Provided
Chronic care management:
- Routine health monitoring and check-ins
- Medication and treatment management
- Coordination between multiple healthcare providers
- Education on managing chronic conditions
Palliative care:
- Pain and symptom relief
- Emotional and psychological support for patients and families
- Guidance on medical decisions and care planning
- Spiritual and mental health services as needed
Location of Care
- Chronic care management: Primarily offered in primary care settings, clinics, and hospitals, where healthcare teams oversee ongoing treatment plans.
- Palliative care: Available in hospitals, nursing homes, and at home to provide comfort-focused care in a familiar setting.
Choosing the Right Care
If a patient needs help managing multiple chronic conditions over time, CCM offers structured support. If comfort and symptom relief are the priority, palliative care provides compassionate assistance tailored to the patient’s well-being.
In some cases, patients may benefit from both services.
How CCM and Palliative Care Work Together
Chronic care management and palliative care serve different roles but can work together to provide comprehensive support for patients with serious or long-term health conditions.
Can a Patient Receive Both CCM and Palliative Care?
Yes. Patients with chronic illnesses can benefit from both services at the same time.
While CCM helps manage long-term conditions, palliative care provides relief from pain, fatigue, and emotional distress. The two approaches complement each other, so patients receive both medical management and holistic support.
How CCM and Palliative Care Work Together
CCM focuses on disease management:
- Regular monitoring of symptoms and treatment effectiveness
- Preventing complications and avoiding hospitalizations
- Coordinating care between specialists, primary doctors, and other healthcare providers
Palliative care increases comfort and well-being:
- Managing pain, nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath
- Providing emotional and mental health support
- Helping patients and families make informed care decisions
For example, a patient with heart failure may receive CCM for medication adjustments and regular check-ins, while palliative care helps with breathing issues, fatigue, and stress management.
Together, these services ensure the patient’s condition is controlled while addressing quality-of-life concerns.
Keystone Health’s Chronic Care Management and Palliative Care Services
At Keystone Health, we understand managing long-term illnesses requires more than medical treatment. It requires ongoing support, personalized care, and a focus on quality of life.
Our chronic care management and palliative care programs are designed to help seniors and their families navigate complex health conditions with confidence and peace of mind.
Keystone Health’s Chronic Care Management Program
Seniors living with chronic illnesses often need consistent monitoring and coordination to prevent complications and maintain their independence. Our Chronic Care Management program provides structured, long-term support for patients with two or more chronic conditions.
How We Assist Seniors With Chronic Conditions
- Personalized care plans: Each patient receives a tailored healthcare plan to manage their conditions effectively.
- Regular check-ins & follow-ups: Our care team monitors symptoms, adjusts treatments, and provides guidance to keep patients on track.
- Medication management: We verify prescriptions are taken correctly and help prevent potential drug interactions.
- Care coordination: We work closely with primary care physicians, specialists, and therapists to keep all providers informed.
- Health education & self-management support: We empower seniors with the knowledge and tools they need to manage their health.
Keystone Health’s Palliative Care Program
When managing a serious illness, comfort and well-being are as important as treatment. Our Palliative Care Program helps patients find relief from pain, fatigue, nausea, and other symptoms while offering emotional and psychological support.
How We Provide Symptom Relief and Comfort Care
- Pain & symptom management: Personalized treatment plans to ease discomfort and improve day-to-day well-being.
- Emotional & spiritual support: Counseling and guidance for patients and their families.
- Decision-making assistance: Helping patients navigate medical choices and treatment plans.
- Coordination with existing treatments: We work alongside primary doctors and specialists to make sure patients receive holistic care.
Choosing the Right Care for You
Both chronic care management and palliative care play important roles in supporting patients with long-term or serious illnesses.
For many seniors, coordinated care integrating CCM and palliative care can offer the best of both worlds – helping them stay as healthy as possible while providing comfort and well-being.
If you or a loved one needs personalized, compassionate care, contact Keystone Health today to learn more about how we can help.
