ABC of Multimorbidity is the first title to provide primary care practitioners with a practical approach to the complex issues of treating and managing patients with more than one morbidity.Ageing populations and earlier diagnosis of chronic conditions mean more people are living longer with multimorbidity. However, treatment guidelines are often designed for treatment in isolation of other morbidities. Multimorbidity management therefore requires a more patient centred approach and greater knowledge and coordination of existing services. Effective multimorbidity management both improves overall patient well-being and reduces the overall demand on health services.ABC of Multimorbidity examines how multimorbidities can be addressed within primary care, from the GP and family physician consultation through to the effective use of a range of health care services. It addresses complex issues such as polypharmacy, mental health, patient safety, patient involvement in self-management, and the role of the practitioner. It then provides guidance on how multimorbidities can be best treated and managed within primary care through specific interventions to improve outcomes.From an international, primary care editor and contributor team, ABC of Multimorbidity is a practical resource for general practitioners, family physicians, practice and specialist nurses, and others caring for multimorbid patients. It is also relevant for junior doctors, medical trainees and students.

Contributors viiPreface ixForeword xi1 Introducing Multimorbidity 1Martin Fortin StewartW. Mercer and Chris Salisbury2 How Common Is Multimorbidity? 5Marjan van den Akker and Christiane Muth3 How Does Multimorbidity Affect Patients? 8Elizabeth A. Bayliss4 Effects of Multimorbidity on Healthcare Resource Use 12Efrat Shadmi Karen Kinder and Jonathan P.Weiner5 Multimorbidity and the Primary Care Clinic 17Stewart W. Mercer and Chris Salisbury6 Multimorbidity and Patient-Centred Care 22Moira Stewart and Martin Fortin7 Multimorbidity and the Healthcare Electronic Medical Record 26Amanda L. Terry and Sonny Cejic8 Treatment Burden and Multimorbidity 30Katie I. Gallacher Victor M. Montori Carl R. May and Frances S. Mair9 Multimorbidity and Mental Health 34Peter Bower Peter Coventry Linda Gask and Jane Gunn10 The Impact of Multimorbidity on Quality and Safety of Health Care 38Jose M. Valderas Ignacio Ricci-Cabello and Concepción Violán11 Implications of Multimorbidity for Health Policy 41Chris Salisbury and Martin Roland12 Optimizing Outcomes in Multimorbidity 46Stewart W. Mercer Martin Fortin and Chris SalisburyIndex 49