There are plenty of possible actions to address chronic diseases. Each decision-maker in the healthcare field has then a wide choice of strategies and solutions that could be combined. The specific situation at local, regional or national level should be looked through:
- the epidemiological condition of the population;
- the organizational structure, and in particular the distribution of competences among the different levels of decision makers;
- the organization, the distribution of responsibilities, the strengths and the weaknesses of the healthcare system;
- and the interaction between primary care, secondary care and social care.
The analysis of these elements may seem to indicate that it is preferable to invest on primary and secondary prevention rather than changing treatment pathways, or reinforcing the community care system rather than investing in the hospital care. But this is a simplistic vision that needs to take into account that each strategy will have a short medium and long-term impact, and that in the long term all the elements need to be addressed comprehensively.
The conference and the presentations of the HOPE exchange programme presented the main strategies and actions implemented by governments to face chronic diseases. /.../
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