- Carlos Slim Foundation presented a case study called ‘Chronic Disease Prevention through innovations in primary care models’, in which the institution’s CASALUD Model was described as one of the most successful models for diabetes prevention and care.
- CASALUD Model was developed by the Carlos Slim Foundation. Its name derives from the union of the words ‘casa’ (home) and ‘salud’ (health), to reflect the approach focused on patient’s care.
- Currently, nearly 12 percent of Mexican adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and more than 60 percent of the population is obese or have pre-obesity,
Global Accountable Care in Action, series organized by Brookings Institution in Washington DC, features long-form case studies focusing on care delivery innovations. In the event, invited countries participated, such as India, Spain and Mexico.
The aim of the event is to share, with experts in the United States, successful programs from different countries that promote better patient’s self-care, as well as clinical management of chronic diseases.
In the case of Mexico, Carlos Slim Foundation presented a case study called ‘Chronic Disease Prevention through innovations in primary care models’, in which the institution’s CASALUD Model was described as one of the most successful models for diabetes prevention and care, offering online support to patients and telemedicine for effective care.
Currently nearly 12 percent of Mexican adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and more than 60 percent of the population is obese or have pre-obesity, while the prevalence of other chronic diseases is increasing rapidly throughout the country.
Furthermore, more than 9 percent of the US population, from which more than 18 percent of Hispanics of Mexican origin, have diabetes.
In response to this situation, the Carlos Slim Foundation developed CASALUD Model, in order to strengthen chronic disease prevention and treatment nationwide, particularly diabetes, by promoting health information through technology and using health mobile platforms.
CASALUD Model was developed by the Carlos Slim Foundation. Its name derives from the union of the words ‘casa’ (home) and ‘salud’ (health), to reflect the approach focused on patient’s care. Carlos Slim Foundation was invited to present its model as a best practice case, due to its proven efficacy in the prevention, detection and treatment of chronic diseases.
CASALUD offers mobile tools and technological systems to transform how primary care is provided in clinics and to ensure health prevention and disease management to keep patients healthy. Its technological tools include mobile gadgets, portals for patients’ usage, education courses and training for providers, drug supply monitoring, health statistics and national electronic health records.
It was designed to revolutionize first contact health care units and link them to patient’s homes, supporting three of the most pressing challenges for Public Health in Mexico: chronic non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health and disease prevention by age group.
CASALUD is based on four pillars: availability of appropriate physical and human resources; promotion of adequate supply of lab tests and medical goods, reinforcing human capital, and designing technological and connectivity innovations.
The model is supported by technological tools, such as Integrated Measurement for Timely Detection (MIDO™) and Digital Portfolio, an electronic platform that provides health staff with updated information and tools to improve the quality of health care.
CASALUD has a display system called Board of Control of Chronic Diseases; in this, health staff can found patient’s records, promoting a more individualized attention.
All clinics that have incorporated CASALUD have access to patient files and performance measures, enabling all members of the care team to coordinate care and routine monitoring for better disease management.
The event was also attended by Ricardo Mujica, Executive Director of the Carlos Slim Foundation. It was coordinated by Dr. Mark McClellan, senior researcher and Director of the Innovation and Quality of Health Care Initiative at the Brookings Institution.
Brookings Institution is a private nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions, based in Washington DC. Brookings is proud to be consistently ranked as the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tank in the US. Its research agenda and its experts recommendations are rooted in open-minded inquiry and its more than 300 scholars represent diverse points of view.
For more than 90 years, Brookings has performed high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations that advance three broad goals:
- Strengthen democracy;
- Foster the economic and social welfare, security and opportunity of all Americans; and
- Secure a more open, safe, prosperous and cooperative international system.
The following step will be publishing the cases presented in the event in the journal Health Affairs, in which Carlos Slim Foundation will participate with CASALUD. Health Affairs is one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world.
