Millions of Americans deal with long-term health issues every year, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. In fact, chronic illnesses cost the United States $3.7 trillion annually.

Clearly, chronic disease management can pay tremendous dividends both financially and through the improvement of the lives of millions of people. This approach, according to Healthcare.gov, involves managing an illness and its symptoms through the use of screenings, check-ups, monitoring, coordinated and integrated treatment, and patient education. Its goals are to improve a patient’s quality of life, reduce health care costs and prevent or minimize the effects of a disease.

Healthcare specialists can use this approach to work with patients to develop treatment strategies based on their specific genes, lifestyle, and environmental circumstances. At Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health, we use this holistic approach to help patients manage chronic diseases by addressing risk factors, promoting physical activity, and focusing on effective symptom management, as well as many other strategies.

Importance of early detection and regular monitoring

One key to improving treatment and health outcomes for chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease is early diagnosis through screenings and annual check-ups. Regular health monitoring of vital indicators, such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, is also essential for halting or slowing disease progression, as well as the prevention of serious complications.

This approach can identify your risks for serious complications, including metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that significantly elevate the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

If you’re seeking support from a dedicated team on your journey to better health, we invite you to visit Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health for routine evaluations. Together, we can create a personalized plan tailored just for you to help you stay on track.

Lifestyle modifications

Effective chronic disease management often entails making certain lifestyle changes, like following a healthier diet, getting more exercise, and quitting smoking. It may also involve losing weight, reducing blood glucose, and obtaining better control over your cholesterol levels.

Hypertension greatly raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. That’s why controlling high blood pressure is a vital part of chronic disease management. By working together, patients and primary care providers can keep blood pressure at safe levels, which improves health and reduces the risk of serious complications.

At Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health, we offer a variety of health-related services, including weight loss programs, nutritional counseling, and personalized workout plans to help you manage chronic conditions. Our dedicated staff is here to support you every step of the way as you take charge of your health and create lasting changes. Taking responsibility for your health is a key to seeing improvements, and we’re committed to helping you make the adjustments that will have the biggest impact on your life. Together, we can lay the foundation for better health and an improved quality of life.

Personalized treatment plans

Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health emphasizes personalized treatment programs that address the specific health concerns of each patient. We customize our approach to chronic disease management based on a thorough evaluation of your medical history and way of living.

To achieve the best results, we recommend strict medication adherence. It’s important to avoid polypharmacy — the use of several medications at the same time. Elderly people and people with chronic conditions sometimes end up taking unnecessary medications that complicate therapy. When you and your healthcare professionals work together, we can adapt your treatment plan to meet your changing requirements.

Preventative care and patient education

Preventative care measures such as health risk assessments, routine check-ups, immunizations, and screenings are crucial for spotting health problems early on. Often, early detection through preventive care means addressing conditions when they are at their most treatable.

Preventive care goes hand in hand with patient empowerment, and education is at the core of both. To help you make informed decisions about your care plan, Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health provides a variety of health educational materials, such as seminars and workshops on chronic disease management.

We want to be an active participant in your health journey, so we can help you learn about lifestyle modifications and management measures that are specific to you.

The role of mental health in chronic disease management

The emotional toll of living with one or more chronic illnesses can be substantial. A diagnosis might cause a range of emotions, including anger, bewilderment, and astonishment. When faced with unexpected health changes, patients often wonder, “why me?”

The restrictions caused by a disease can generate feelings of melancholy and annoyance over time. Feeling overwhelmed by the ongoing need to control chronic pain can have a significant influence on your everyday life, self-care practices, and self-image. Experiencing flare-ups or dealing with complicated treatment regimens makes a lot of people feel alone.

Nonetheless, you might adjust to the new normal more readily if you develop healthy habits and use symptom tracking. With the right information and support, you can take control of your health issues and develop effective coping mechanisms. Recognizing your feelings and reaching out for help from healthcare professionals or support groups can help you build resilience and improve your overall health.

Individual therapy and group support are only two of the many mental health treatments provided by Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health that you can use for chronic disease management. Individual counseling can help you deal with stress management and develop healthy coping strategies. Our group support sessions work well for sharing experiences and fostering connections with others facing similar challenges. Our caring staff is committed to creating a welcoming space where you feel comfortable expressing your worries and taking steps to improve your mental health.

Finding help

When you manage a chronic condition, you’re not just treating the symptoms; you’re also taking charge of your wellness and working to improve your quality of life in the long run. The Internal Medicine Team at Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health believes that it’s important to take a holistic view of patient care. Using chronic disease management, preventive care, and care coordination, we look at both the surface symptoms and the underlying causes of your problems.

Our committed staff will help you navigate your health journey with personalized treatment and professional advice designed just for you. Giving you the tools you need for disease prevention and self-management is one of our top priorities. Contact us now to learn more about the different options and resources we have for chronic disease management.

Meet Dr. Sheth

Dr. Sagar Sheth is an enthusiastic expert in internal medicine who places a premium on preventive care, holistic approaches, weight loss, and the management of chronic diseases. He combines his substantial academic knowledge with practical expertise to provide individualized, patient-centered care.

Dr. Sheth advocates against polypharmacy, when a patient is prescribed several medications at the same time, and contributes to medical education to help shape healthcare’s future. He scrupulously avoids prescribing unnecessary medications.

When he’s not working, he loves to travel, hang out with his loved ones, and play sports like tennis, golf, and basketball.

Request an appointment with Dr. Sheth on our website or call (813) 751-3700 today.