Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
2020
Abstract
Inflammation is associated with the development of a number of life altering chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, renal disease, chronic pain, and gastrointestinal issues. Signs of inflammation can be seen systemically through symptom development in various body systems. Some of these symptoms can include mental health concerns like depression and anxiety, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal irregularity, pain, appetite and weight issues, and acne or other inflammatory skin conditions. Lifestyle interventions like specific dietary and exercise recommendations, sleep hygiene, and proper hydration have been shown to significantly reduce the symptoms associated with systemic inflammation. The primary care setting is an excellent option for introducing anti-inflammatory guidelines to help patients manage their symptoms and improve long term outcomes by reducing the progression of inflammatory disease states. In order to realistically implement an anti-inflammatory protocol into primary care, a tool must be developed to assist providers in proper screening and identification of symptoms to guide individualized recommendations for the patient. This paper discusses the creation of a screening tool and evaluation of a pilot group for the implementation of an inflammatory guideline process in primary care. The goal of executing a screening tool and anti-inflammatory guideline in primary care is to improve patient outcomes, reduce overall healthcare costs, and offer providers a realistic process for managing inflammatory symptoms in patients. This pilot study did yield overall positive patient feedback regarding both reported symptom improvement and patient satisfaction with the provided interventions.
