Americans are living longer. Average life expectancy in the United States has increased to 78.4 years, up 0.9 years since 2022.
An increasing number of Americans, however, are coping with chronic health conditions. An estimated 133 million Americans — nearly half the population — suffer from at least one chronic illness. That figure is 15 million higher than a decade ago.
A disease is considered chronic when it persists for at least a year and requires ongoing medical attention or limits daily activities. Approximately 60 percent of adults in the U.S. live with at least one chronic disease, such as heart disease and stroke, cancer or diabetes.
Chronic diseases impose a substantial financial burden, often leading to increased healthcare expenditures and reduced productivity in affected populations. They reduce the quality of life and increase economic healthcare expenses through increased hospitalizations, with increased treatment expenditures affecting more than half of adults. One study found that direct medical costs associated with chronic diseases account for 86 percent of total healthcare expenditures.
The consequences of chronic diseases extend beyond health outcomes. They also markedly impact mental health. Some chronic illnesses may make individuals more likely to develop mental health conditions.
Health barriers driven by social determinants of health (SDOH) have worsened chronic disease management, and rates of preventable, chronic diseases are rising in low-income communities. Rural residents are more likely than their urban counterparts to have chronic diseases, often having to travel long distances to reach specialized care.
Components of Chronic Disease Management
Effective chronic disease management is crucial to improving health outcomes and lowering healthcare costs. Many healthcare providers focus on chronic disease management to help patients navigate their conditions, enhancing patient care and reducing the burden on medical practices.
Chronic disease management aims to enhance self-management awareness and abilities through health education. Patients are taught to better understand their conditions and the importance of adhering to treatment plans.
This approach not only improves patient outcomes but also empowers individuals to take control of their health. Research shows that health management can substantially reduce the incidence, morbidity and mortality of chronic diseases through early screening, personalized interventions and follow-up.
Applying AI to Chronic Disease Management
From enhancing patient care to improving medication adherence, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform chronic disease management and lead to better health outcomes. By providing personalized support and continuous education, the technology empowers patients to take control of their health and make informed decisions about their treatment plans.
AI aids healthcare providers in offering personalized and continuous support, helping patients manage their conditions more effectively and reducing complications. It ensures more continuity of care and mitigates the likelihood of delayed care, which might increase morbidity and mortality associated with both chronic and acute health conditions and cause the need for more invasive treatment.
In addition to improving health outcomes, AI-driven chronic disease management can lead to financial savings for healthcare practices. That’s because, through the optimization of resource allocation and enhancement of operational efficiencies, it has the potential to lower healthcare costs. Another benefit of AI for chronic disease management is a lower burden on healthcare professionals through the automation of administrative tasks, including scheduling follow-up visits and conducting data entry.
Agentic AI for Chronic Disease Management
Agentic AI solutions support chronic disease management by routinely checking in with patients and recommending tips and lifestyle changes based on real-time data. Sometimes, they are utilized to provide tailored education to patients, helping them understand the importance of managing their chronic diseases and adhering to treatment plans. Without agentic AI and similar digital health solutions, it can be difficult for providers to initiate engagement with high-risk patients, such as those with multiple chronic diseases.
When patients are equipped to efficiently communicate with their healthcare providers, it boosts the likelihood that they receive the necessary guidance and support and fosters a stronger patient-provider relationship. Even small physician practices can employ agentic AI to offer 24/7 support, allowing patients with chronic diseases to schedule appointments, inquire about test results and receive personalized health advice anytime and anywhere.
Advancing Medication Adherence Through AI
Medication adherence is a crucial component of chronic disease management, positive health outcomes and treatment efficacy. But, about half of patients with chronic disease don’t take their medication as prescribed, and up to 80 percent of patients drop out of their chronic care management plans.
Not only is it associated with higher rates of hospital admissions, suboptimal health outcomes and increased morbidity, but medication nonadherence also is estimated to be linked to 125,000 deaths annually. Other consequences of nonadherence include waste of medication, disease progression, reduced functional abilities, lower quality of life and increased use of medical resources.
Medication adherence is essential for positive health outcomes and treatment efficacy — it’s associated with improved clinical outcomes for chronic disease management and reduced mortality from chronic conditions. For patients with chronic conditions, those who took their medications as prescribed saved an average of between $4,000 and $8,000 per year on healthcare costs. It’s estimated that a 10 percent increase in treatment adherence for diabetic patients could reduce annual healthcare costs by 8.6—28.9 percent.
Patients who interact more with their doctors are 2.57 times more likely to adhere to medication. Agentic AI tools provide patients with prescription information, answer questions about medication regimens and send reminders to take medications at the right time. Plus, it allows healthcare providers to more effectively track and enhance medication adherence among patients.
Putting AI to Work for Your Healthcare Practice
At Providertech, our agentic AI solution is designed to understand the way patients communicate and adapt accordingly. Listen to a sample recording today to learn how you can produce happy patients every single call, every single time! Or, contact us for a demo!
