Holistic CRM Care vs Standard of Care in a Primary Care Setting

Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and type 2 diabetes, collectively referred to as Cardio-Renal-Metabolic (CRM) conditions, are among the most common chronic diseases in society. In Sweden, approximately 2.5 million people live with high blood pressure, one million have impaired kidney function, and more than half a million live with diabetes or heart disease. Many individuals are affected by more than one of these conditions at the same time, meaning that up to 30% of patients registered at an average primary care practice belong to this group.

These diseases are closely interconnected. Developing one condition substantially increases the risk of developing another, and the risk of cardiovascular events and other complications rises sharply as the number of diagnoses increases. As people live longer, it is becoming increasingly common for older adults to live with several chronic diseases simultaneously. This places a considerable burden on healthcare systems, both medically and economically.

At the same time, there is strong evidence that early, coordinated interventions can slow disease progression and reduce the risk of future complications. Despite clear national guidelines, there is still room for improvement in clinical practice. One important reason is that healthcare services and treatment guidelines remain largely organized around individual diagnoses rather than around the overall needs of each patient. As a result, different specialists often work in parallel, sometimes pursuing different treatment goals and strategies. This can lead to both under-treatment and over-treatment, contributing to unequal care and unnecessary burden for patients.

The CRM Centre at Danderyd Hospital provides an example of how integrated care can work in practice. There, assessment, treatment, and follow-up are delivered by a multidisciplinary team that takes the patient's entire disease profile into account. The model has produced promising results for patients with more complex medical needs. However, the vast majority of people with CRM-related conditions are managed within primary care.

This study evaluates a new primary care model that builds on the experience gained from the CRM Centre at Danderyd Hospital. The aim is to bring together all patients with CRM diagnoses within a common care structure and a unified treatment strategy. Participating primary care centres will receive education and access to practical support materials that integrate recommendations from guidelines covering all three disease areas. An important component is strengthened collaboration between primary and specialist care. Participating centres will have opportunities for clinical observerships, multidisciplinary digital case conferences with specialists at Danderyd Hospital, and targeted consultations regarding patients with CRM conditions through the Department of Internal Medicine at Ersta Hospital.

The project will be integrated into routine clinical practice without requiring additional patient visits. All patient management will be carried out by the responsible healthcare professionals, supported by the educational programme, clinical tools, and collaboration with specialist services. Using electronic health record data, national registers, and health economic analyses, the study will evaluate whether the model improves the use of evidence-based medications, increases achievement of treatment targets, and enhances cost-effectiveness. Long-term outcomes, including survival and rates of hospital admission, will also be assessed.

By bringing together care from multiple perspectives, this project addresses a clear and growing clinical need: providing patients with CRM conditions with more coordinated, effective, and equitable care. The findings are expected to be directly applicable across primary care and could inform future models for managing multimorbidity on a broader scale.