Chronic Illness Management

Research overview

What do diabetes, back pain, depression, and heart disease have in common? They're among a host of chronic health problems and disabilities that have traditionally received too little attention from health care systems — until serious complications develop. Modern medicine tends to focus on detecting and treating acute problems, leaving fewer resources for the needs of patients with chronic illnesses, which may be less urgent but are equally important.

Our population is aging rapidly, and people with chronic conditions are living longer. Chronic conditions now affect more than 145 million Americans. About half of Americans over 65 — our nation’s fastest-growing segment — have at least 2 chronic conditions. As our need for improved chronic care grows, health care delivery systems are trying to correct the many deficiencies in current management of chronic diseases.

For over 2 decades, KPWHRI scientists have been developing, implementing, and promoting better models of care for chronic illness. Much of this work is led by the institute's Center for Accelerating Care Transformation (ACT Center), which is widely recognized for its refinement and dissemination of the Chronic Care Model. The ACT Center continues to work with providers nationwide to develop strategies and tools for health care systems seeking to improve chronic illness care. 

Such resources are then shared globally through active engagement with international organizations developing guidance and care recommendations. Providers worldwide continue to adapt materials such as the ACT Center’s Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care and Patient-Centered Medical Home Assessment surveys.  

Recent publications on Chronic Illness Management

Chen L, Chubak J, Boudreau DM, Barlow WE, Weiss NS, Li CI. Diabetes treatments and risks of adverse breast cancer outcomes among early stage breast cancer patients: a SEER-Medicare analysis. Cancer Res. 2017 Nov 1;77(21):6033-6041. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-0687. Epub 2017 Sep 21. PubMed

Lim CY, Berry ABL, Hirsch T, Hartzler AL, Wagner EH, Ludman EJ, Ralston JD. Understanding what is most important to individuals with multiple chronic conditions: a qualitative study of patient's perspectives. J Gen Intern Med. 2017 Aug 28. doi: 10.1007/s11606-017-4154-3. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Tang HJ, McCurry SM, Pike KC, Von Korff M, Vitiello MV. Differential predictors of nighttime and daytime sleep complaints in older adults with comorbid insomnia and osteoarthritis pain. J Psychosom Res. 2017 Sep;100:22-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.06.020. Epub 2017 Jul 1. PubMed

Rohrer Vitek CR, Abul-Husn NS, Connolly JJ, Hartzler AL, Kitchner T, Peterson JF, Rasmussen LV, Smith ME, Stallings S, Williams MS, Wolf WA, Prows CA. Healthcare provider education to support integration of pharmacogenomics in practice: the eMERGE network experience. Pharmacogenomics. 2017;18(10):1013-1025. doi: 10.2217/pgs-2017-0038. Epub 2017 Jun 22.  PubMed

Tisminetzky M, Bayliss EA, Magaziner JS, Allore HG, Anzuoni K, Boyd CM, Gill TM, Go AS, Greenspan SL, Hanson LR, Hornbrook MC, Kitzman DW, Larson EB, Naylor MD, Shirley BE, Tai-Seale M, Teri L, Tinetti ME, Whitson HE, Gurwitz J. Research priorities to advance the science of multiple chronic conditions in older adults. J Am Geriatrics Soc, doi: 10.1111/jgs.14943. [Epub ahead of print 2017, May 26].

Researchers in Chronic Illness Management

Beverly B. Green, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator
206-287-2997
Bev.B.Green@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

James D. Ralston, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator
206-287-2076
James.D.Ralston@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Paula Lozano, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator; Director, ACT Center
206-287-2113
Paula.Lozano@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Katie Coleman, MSPH

Director, ACT Center
206-287-2872
Katie.F.Coleman@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Gregory E. Simon, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator
206-287-2979
Gregory.E.Simon@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator
206-287-2151
Katharine.A.Bradley@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Jennifer B. McClure, PhD

Director, Investigative Science
206-287-2737
Jennifer.B.Mcclure@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Dori E. Rosenberg, PhD, MPH

Senior Investigator
206-287-2532
Dori.E.Rosenberg@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Ben Balderson, PhD

Senior Collaborative Scientist
206-287-2803
Benjamin.H.Balderson@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSW

Associate Investigator
206-287-4266
Joseph.E.Glass@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Yu-Ru Su, PhD

Associate Biostatistics Investigator
206-287-2948
yuru.su@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Chloe Krakauer, PhD

Collaborative Biostatistician
chloe.a.krakauer@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Mikael Anne Greenwood-Hickman, MPH

Collaborative Scientist
(206) 287-2908
Mikael.Anne.Greenwood-Hickman@kp.org

Laurel Hansell, MA, MPH

Collaborative Scientist
laurel.d.hansell@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Claire Allen, MPH

Manager, Collaborative Science
Claire.L.Allen@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Morgan Justice, MA

Collaborative Scientist
Morgan.J.Fuoco@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Affiliate Researchers in Chronic Illness Management

Laura-Mae Baldwin, MD, MPH 
Professor, Department of Family Medicine
University of Washington

Linda LeResche, ScD
Associate Dean for Research, School of Dentistry
Professor, Oral Medicine
University of Washington