Integrated Disease Management

Integrated Disease Management

Cardiovascular diseases are the greatest contributor to premature deaths in the CARPHA Member States. CARPHA’s work in the area of Integrated Disease Management includes the publication and implementation of clinical guidelines to support the diagnosis, management and care of diabetes and hypertension, disease conditions which are major risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Cascades of care for diabetes done in some of the CMS indicate that a significant percentage of diabetic patients are not achieving desirable treatment outcomes (link to Graph of Cascades of Care for Diabetes). The Diabetes Clinical Guidelines are targeted towards standardizing care and management of persons with diabetes by professionals working in primary care, in countries of the Region, in order to improve the outcomes of diabetic patients being treated (link to Diabetes Guidelines) in the countries of the Region.

Work is ongoing to develop tools to support the implementation of the diabetes guidelines (see the algorithms for screening). Training materials are also being developed to support continuing medical education in the use of the clinical guidelines. In-country training on the diabetes guidelines will also be done.

A similar approach will be used to support implementation of protocols for the management of hypertension. Work is ongoing in this area and further details will be provided in the future.

This is important as we work towards standardization of care and encourage the implementation of team-based care for integrated disease management of non-communicable diseases.

CARPHA Clinical Guidelines

Guidelines for the Management of Diabetes in Primary Care in the Caribbean

The Caribbean Public Health Agency teamed up with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States to review and update the CARPHA Guidelines on the Management of Diabetes in Primary Care in the Caribbean. These guidelines provide a strategic approach to improving diabetes health outcomes, by presenting simple directives on key aspects of care for persons with diabetes (PWD). It will also support the efforts of Ministries of Health, to strengthen and standardise the management of diabetes in primary care and improve outcomes in care of diabetes, regionally.

View Clinical Guidelines