Chronic care

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Chronic care refers to medical care which addresses preexisting or long term illness, as opposed to acute care which is concerned with short term or severe illness of brief duration. Chronic medical conditions include, but are not limited to, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, congestive heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, hypertension and depression. Chronic medical care accounts for more than 75% of health care dollars spent in the US.