323177
Developing a population definition and screening tool to identify Adults with Chronic Healthcare Needs (ACHCN): Findings from an expert measurement panel
Monday, November 2, 2015
: 8:30 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.
Stephen Gulley, PhD, MSW,
Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Clinical Research Center, Bethesda, MD
Leighton Chan, MD, MPH,
Clinical Research Center, Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
A critical question facing our nation concerns how to realign health care delivery systems to manage the health of adults with ongoing, elevated, and costly needs for care. Many attempts have been made to define and measure these populations, whether on the basis of specific health conditions, varying lists of chronic conditions, or the extent of reported functional limitations. These approaches yield dramatically different prevalence estimates and conflicting information on service utilization patterns. In response, we convened a multidisciplinary expert measurement panel in order to develop a new population-level definition and screening tool intended for health surveys. Extending the foundational work done in the measurement of Children with Special Healthcare Needs, the panel defined working age ACHCN as “Adults with [1] ongoing physical, cognitive, or mental health conditions or difficulties functioning who [2] need health or related support services of a type or amount beyond that needed by adults of the same sex and similar age.” In this presentation, we will explain the rationale for this new definition and demonstrate its potential utility in health services research, healthcare policy reform and program development. We will then introduce the first draft of the ACHCN brief screening instrument, including key results from cognitive testing performed at the National Center for Health Statistics. Finally, we will solicit comments and discussion as we consider the next steps in the development and dissemination of this approach to population measurement.
Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Learning Objectives:
Explain the rationale for and formulation of a new population-level definition of working age Americans with Chronic Healthcare Needs (ACHCN);
Describe the interrelationships between multiple chronic conditions, self-reported functional limitations and ongoing need for and use of medical services and related supports;
Describe the primary domains and items which compose the draft ACHCN screening instrument;
Discuss early findings from cognitive testing of this new instrument and next steps in its development.
Keyword(s): Chronic Disease Management and Care, Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a health services researcher with a focus in disability measurement and access to health care. I have published multiple manuscripts in these areas in the peer-reviewed literature and have presented at national conferences for many years, including APHA.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
