ImproveCareNow

Here are a sampling of letters from parents of children that are participating with their doctor in Improve Care Now:

Learning that your child suffers from a chronic health condition with no cure yet in sight is both shocking and sad.  As the parent of a son with Crohn's Disease I have been fortunate to witness the transformation of that initial despair into hope and positive action.  His treatment by a physician following the ImproveCareNow protocol has given him the best possible quality of life and me peace of mind.  I believe the wealth of knowledge and experience represented by the ImproveCareNow alliance is essential for achieving optimal treatment for all children.

Loretta
Shelburne, VT

My youngest daughter was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at the age of 10. Diagnosis occurred after months of visits to her pediatrician with a variety of complaints. To see a child suffer and then be diagnosed with a serious condition such as Crohn's was very difficult for our entire family. After initial treatments that provided very limited help for our child, we were very hopeful when our daughter became part of the ImproveCareNow collaborative. We feel very confident that our daughter is now receiving the best care possible, and is receiving only the medications she really needs. I'm very happy to be able to report that her Crohn's Disease is now in remission, and she is feeling good. I am a strong supporter of ImproveCareNow. This is a wonderful resource for patients and their families and I would like to thank the dedicated people that have made the ImproveCareNow Collaborative a reality.

Steve
Durham, NC

I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease when I was 9. I didn't know what it was or how we were going to handle this. When I went to my physician he explained to me that I had many options in handling this disease. He has made me so much more confident when it comes to handling this disease. I now want to be the one to find the cure for Crohn's and I want to help other kids who suffer with the disease. I am now on Remicade Infusions and that is all I take for my Crohn's. Improve Care Now is an amazing resource for patients and parents with Crohn's Disease and I thank God every day for the people who made Improve Care Now a reality.

Hayley, age 15
Delaware, OH

We have a child who was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease when she was 9.  As a parent, who has Crohn's Disease also, I am impressed with the Improve Care Now protocol.  It has helped my daughter fight the illness and help us understand things better.  I wish I had been lucky to have the same benefits we have received with her care.  It has taught our family so much.  With the help of her doctors and nurses she has had the best treatments available and so much education.  We appreciate the fact that our doctor participates in Improve Care Now.  It has made a huge impact on her attitude and well bein.g.

Colleen & Scott
Delaware, OH

Seven years ago I found out what Ulcerative Colitis was through my child's diagnosis. The following year was very tumultuous as I tried to learn more about this disease and its treatment. I feel very lucky to live in a city where we have such good caregivers experienced with the disease - it makes life so much easier when you have a strong support system in the medical community. Along with being caring and knowledgeable, our GI group participates in Improve Care Now. By doing so, they review their practices and procedures with parents and others in order to make things as seamless and supportive as possible. Over the years, we have benefited greatly from the changes their group has instituted, such as utilizing parents as initial triage partners and trusting us to indicate when a child needs immediate attention. Having an active voice in this Quality Improvement program means so much when it comes to the care of your child, and I'm so very thankful for the Improve Care Now initiative and the positive changes it brings to our treatment plans.

Virginia
Columbus, Ohio