Chronic Disease Mgmt/Endocrinology
Chronic Disease Management at NorthShore
Chronic disease management is a patient and primary care physician (PCP) relationship involving education and medical services to help patients with chronic diseases understand and live successfully with their condition. Chronic disease management is basically disease management for chronic or continuing conditions. Doctors and nurse practitioners will work with their patients to educate and motivate them to receive necessary therapies, medications and interventions to ultimately achieve a reasonable, ongoing quality of life.
Chronic Disease Management Goals
Goals of chronic disease management include promoting self-management, which gives patients day-to-day tools to help manager their disease beyond their doctor’s visit. Another goal of NorthShore providers would be to work towards addressing patient diseases or conditions in order to achieve the most effective health outcomes, regardless of financial or social barriers.
Common Chronic Diseases include:
- Alzheimer disease and dementia
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Cancer
- COPD
- Crohn’s disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Heart disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Mood disorders (bipolar, cyclothymic, and depression)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson disease
Endocrinology
Your body’s endocrine system is made up of many glands that release hormones. Each gland in your body is designed to release the perfect amount of hormones to help regulate different functions in our bodies. These functions include:
- Growth
- Metabolism
- Senses
- Movement
- Reproduction
- Sexual development
- Respiratory system
An imbalance of hormones can lead to diseases such as diabetes, hypertensions, endometriosis, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, cancer, sexual dysfunction, or other problems such as infertility, bone loss, weight gain/loss and more.
Endocrinologists are specially trained physicians who diagnose diseases related to the glands which in turn cause hormone imbalances. These diseases are often hard to detect so an endocrinologist can be an additional resource outside of your primary care provider to help patients dealing with hormonal issues restore the body’s hormonal balance.
Most patients typically see their primary care provider first when they start noticing symptoms. During an annual exam with routine lab testing, your primary care provide might also be able to detect possible endocrine dysfunction before symptoms arise. If any hormone related concerns are suspected, your doctor will provide a referral to the endocrinologist. The goal of both your primary care provider and endocrinologist is to work together to provide the treatment necessary to restore the balance of hormones in your body.
