What role does innovation have to play in helping and accompanying chronic patients?
At present, life expectancy in Spain is approximately 83 years and, according to demographic indicators, this will increase over time. This makes us one of the countries with the longest living populations in the world.
However, this longevity, together with the increased efficacy of medical and pharmacological treatments, is closely linked to another concept: chronicity. People are now living longer, but this also means that they are living longer with lifelong illnesses.
Furthermore, chronicity is also linked to what is known as pluripathology, which involves people suffering from more than one chronic disease, and to polymedication; different treatments that coexist at the same time in the patient’s life.
Chronicity in figures
As in the rest of Europe, the prevalence of chronic pathologies in Spain is on the up. According to the European Health Survey in Spain, more than 22 million people currently suffer from one of these diseases, in particular those over the age of 65. These figures, linked to the demographic ageing of our country (in accordance with a recent study by the Spanish National Research Council, in 2050, people aged over 65 will account for 30% of the population), pose major challenges for the health system.
According to the data communicated by the Spanish Platform for Patients’ Organisations, chronic diseases in Spain currently account for 80% of primary care consultations, 60% of hospitalisations and 80% of health spending, but which are the most common? In accordance with 2020 data from the National Statistics Institute and the European Health Survey in Spain, high blood pressure, heart and respiratory conditions (such as allergies, asthma or bronchitis), chronic back pain, diabetes and anxiety are some of the most frequent in our country.
Primary care and family doctors are the first link in a chain of processes and professionals working to improve the lives of these people, not only by diagnosing and prescribing treatments, but also by properly educating patients to involve them in the management of their disease and the importance of self-care. Why? Because not only do chronic pathologies not improve over time, but if they are not followed up on, they tend to get worse.
For example, according to data from the Platform of Patients’ Organisations, it is well known that, as a result of fewer visits to primary care centres or specialists, the percentage of patients who forget to take their medication has risen from 24% to 34%, and one in four decides on their own to discontinue treatment. This lack of adherence can have a serious impact on patients’ health and is therefore one of the aspects that Cinfa has been working on for some time, and which we will now seek to address in greater depth with CinfaNext.
The role of the pharmacist in the field of chronicity
Community pharmacy plays a very crucial role in supporting chronically ill patients. Pharmacists, who are known and accessible to patients, play a key role in helping them to better monitor and manage their disease, and at Cinfa, we also want to offer them tools and services to facilitate this care.
An example of innovation in this sense is the SPD Medical Dispenser developed by Cinfa, a personalised medicine dosage system that provides pharmacists with a technological solution that allows them to help their patients organise their medicines and administer them correctly. This service also contributes to the pharmacist-patient relationship, making chronic disease easier to manage and treat, especially over a certain age. Ultimately, this results in greater adherence to treatment, which, as we have already mentioned, is vital.
Experts agree that innovation is a fundamental aspect in responding to the complex problems of today’s healthcare system, including chronicity. It is time not only to take advantage of the proliferation of new technologies that have been emerging for some years now, but also to create new spaces for joint collaboration between large corporations, research centres, universities, startups, entrepreneurs, etc.
We are convinced that these open innovation platforms, such as CinfaNext, through collaboration and co-creation, will provide us with the solutions that help and accompany chronic patients. If you have a project or an idea related to this line of innovation, get in touch!
