Local Health Integration Network
Text size:


Other Health Connections: 

Twitter CommunicationsTwitter CE

Residents First

Input on Role of NP

Excellent Care for All Act 2010

eHealth Ontario - EN

Epic Website

Button for Ontario Hospital Association

Button Health Care Connects

Button Your Health Care Options

Button for Patient Safety

Wait Times

Effectiveness Review

Chronic Disease Prevention and Management in the HNHB LHINPhoto Healthy Eating

Preventing and managing chronic diseases is a priority area for the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN.  We have a number of initiatives underway concerning chronic disease prevention and management (CDPM).  If you are interested in more information about the HNHB LHIN's CDPM activities, please contact Dr. Jennifer Everson, Physician Lead, Clinical Planning and Integration or Deanna Bryant, Advisor, Planning and Integration. 

What is Chronic Disease?

In 2007, the Ontario Quality Council reported that the real story in modern health care is the rise in chronic conditions.  Chronic conditions (also known as chronic diseases) are health conditions that require care over time.  These conditions include heart disease, diabetes, and asthma.  Chronic conditions are the leading cause of illness, disability and poor quality of life.  While not all chronic conditions have the same impact on a person’s quality of life, they can generate a significant burden to individuals, their families, the work force, the health system and communities. The good news is that chronic conditions can be managed and even prevented. People living with chronic conditions can lead relatively healthy lives. 

Why Chronic Disease Prevention and Management?

Chronic disease presents a particular challenge to modern health care systems, which have been designed to respond to acute illnesses and often fall short of meeting the needs of people living with chronic conditions.   In order to meet the health needs of residents living with chronic health conditions, Ontario is moving from its existing `find it and cure it’ approach for health care delivery, which was designed for acute illnesses, to one that aims to `prevent, find and manage’ chronic conditions. 


For more information on the patterns of chronic conditions in the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN, including population, prevalence, death, hospitalization and emergency department visit data, please read the Profile of Chronic Conditions. 

What does this mean for our LHIN?
  • More than a million people in the HNHB LHIN report one or more chronic condition(s).
  • The chances of developing a chronic condition increase as people get older
  • People with chronic conditions earn less, miss more work, and are more likely to retire early
  • People with asthma, arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease often report having “fair” or “poor” health
  • People with chronic conditions who require assistance with activities of daily living may depend on community support services, formal home care or informal caregivers (family or friends) to meet their needs
  • Informal caregivers often feel stressed as a result of their responsibilities and report reduced productivity in the workplace
  • Each year more than 200 people in the HNHB LHIN have a foot or lower limb amputated due to complications with diabetes  
What's Happening in our LHIN?

If you are interested in learning more about initiatives related to preventing and managing chronic disease, please browse the work being done by the HNHB LHIN's Chronic Disease Prevention and Management Advisory Committee