Which of the following is an essential element of the Chronic Care Model?

Which of the following is an essential element of the Chronic Care Model?

• A. Health System Leadership and Support
• B. Patient Loyalty Programs
• C. Payment Plans for Patients
• D. Hospital Construction

Answer: (A)

The essential concept being tested is that a well-organized health system with strong leadership and support is foundational for effective chronic care. In the Chronic Care Model, system-level leadership creates the policies, resources, and incentives that enable all the other components—delivery system redesign, decision support for clinicians, robust clinical information systems, and strong links to community resources and patient self-management—to work together. Without active leadership and system support, efforts to improve care processes and patient outcomes can stall or be inconsistently applied. Loyalty programs are marketing tools that don’t specify how care is organized or delivered. Payment plans for patients touch financing more than the structured framework the model requires. Hospital construction focuses on infrastructure rather than the continuous care processes and system-wide supports emphasized by the model.

The essential concept being tested is that a well-organized health system with strong leadership and support is foundational for effective chronic care. In the Chronic Care Model, system-level leadership creates the policies, resources, and incentives that enable all the other components—delivery system redesign, decision support for clinicians, robust clinical information systems, and strong links to community resources and patient self-management—to work together. Without active leadership and system support, efforts to improve care processes and patient outcomes can stall or be inconsistently applied.

Loyalty programs are marketing tools that don’t specify how care is organized or delivered. Payment plans for patients touch financing more than the structured framework the model requires. Hospital construction focuses on infrastructure rather than the continuous care processes and system-wide supports emphasized by the model.