Ask ECRI: Policies for Comorbidity Management

​​​​A member recently asked about policies for managing comorbidities. In our response we address the importance of individualized treatment and offer professional guidelines for comorbidity management best practices.

​Policies for managing comorbidities, as well as multimorbidity and multiple chronic conditions, vary based on the medical conditions involved; therefore, developing a uniform policy is not necessarily feasible given the differences between conditions. Approaches to comorbidity management often overlap with typical care management strategies. However, the presence of comorbidities often requires treatment adjustments based on disease-specific considerations, making individualized treatment plans the most appropriate approach. Professional organizations have developed guiding principles that healthcare organizations can use to tailor comorbidity management best practices. For example, see the following guiding principles for managing comorbidities...