By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Nearly half of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease, and that number is growing. Chronic diseases—including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, respiratory diseases, arthritis, obesity, and oral diseases—can lead to hospitalization, long-term disability, reduced quality of life, and death. Additionally, chronic diseases often require a long period of supervision, observation, or care. To make matters more complicated, many patients have multiple morbidities, creating particular challenges for healthcare providers.