Chronic Care Management

Chronic Care Management: Because Great Healthcare Doesn’t End at Your Appointment

When most people think about healthcare, they think about the time they spend with their provider during an office visit.

But what happens between those appointments?

For patients living with multiple chronic conditions, that’s often when the biggest challenges arise. Questions about medications. New symptoms. Difficulty managing treatment plans. Coordinating care between specialists. Making sense of lab results. Recovering after a hospital stay.

That’s where Chronic Care Management (CCM) makes a meaningful difference.

At Lake Country Medical Group, our Chronic Care Management program is designed to provide ongoing support for eligible patients long after they leave the exam room. Rather than waiting until the next appointment, our care coordination team stays connected throughout the month, helping patients navigate their healthcare journey with confidence.

What Is Chronic Care Management?

Chronic Care Management is a Medicare-supported program designed for patients living with two or more chronic health conditions that are expected to last at least 12 months or for the remainder of their lives.

The goal is simple: provide continuous support that helps patients stay healthier, avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, and better manage their conditions every day.

Our CCM team works closely with patients by:

  • Coordinating care between primary care providers, specialists, hospitals, and pharmacies
  • Reviewing medications and helping patients stay on track
  • Answering healthcare questions between appointments
  • Following up after hospitalizations or emergency room visits
  • Helping patients understand and manage chronic conditions
  • Identifying concerns early before they become bigger health issues
  • Developing and updating personalized care plans
  • Connecting patients with community resources when needed

It’s healthcare that extends beyond the office visit and provides peace of mind knowing there’s a dedicated team available to help every step of the way.

A Program Built on Compassion

Behind every successful care coordination program is a team committed to serving patients with compassion, consistency, and excellence.

Over the past several years, Alicia Ramfos has played a vital role in building and leading Lake Country Medical Group’s Chronic Care Management program. Under her leadership, the program has grown into an essential part of how we care for patients beyond the walls of our offices.

Alicia’s dedication to patient-centered care, innovation, and collaboration has helped create a program that has positively impacted countless patients and families throughout our community.

Today, Alicia has transitioned into a new role focused on Population Health and Business Development, where she continues helping Lake Country Medical Group expand its services and strengthen the care we provide throughout the Lake Country. While her responsibilities have evolved, the patient-first philosophy she established remains the foundation of our CCM program.

Welcoming Eden Wages

As our Chronic Care Management program continues to grow, we’re excited to welcome Eden Wages as our new CCM Program Director.

Although Eden is stepping into a new leadership role, she is certainly not new to the program. This August marks three years with Lake Country Medical Group, and during that time she has been an integral member of our Chronic Care Management team.

Many patients may recognize Eden from her work in medication management and pharmacy services, but throughout her time with LCMG she has gained experience in virtually every aspect of Chronic Care Management. From working directly with patients to supporting care coordination behind the scenes, she has developed a deep understanding of the program and the people it serves.

That experience makes Eden uniquely prepared to lead the program forward. She understands that great healthcare isn’t just about treating illness, it’s about building relationships, staying connected, and helping patients feel supported every day between appointments.

Working alongside the outstanding team that Alicia helped build, Eden is committed to continuing the tradition of compassionate, personalized care while helping the program continue to grow and evolve.

Care That Never Stops

“Healthcare doesn’t happen only during office visits. Some of the most important care takes place between appointments, and that’s exactly why our Chronic Care Management team exists,” says Dr. Nicolas Chronos. “By staying connected with our patients throughout the month, we’re able to answer questions, identify concerns early, coordinate care, and ultimately help people live healthier lives.”

At Lake Country Medical Group, we believe great healthcare is built on relationships, communication, and continuity of care.

Whether you’re managing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, or multiple chronic conditions, our Chronic Care Management team is here to help you stay connected, informed, and supported throughout your healthcare journey.

Because exceptional healthcare doesn’t end when your appointment is over.

It continues every day in between.

Could You Benefit from Chronic Care Management?

If you have Medicare and are living with two or more chronic health conditions, you may qualify for our Connected Care Management program. Through our Connected Care Institute, our team provides ongoing support between office visits, including personalized care planning, medication management, care coordination, and regular check-ins designed to help you better manage your health.

To learn more about our Connected Care Institute and our Chronic Care Management program, Click Here:

Or call Lake Country Medical Group at (706) 485-4004 to speak with a member of our team and learn whether Chronic Care Management is right for you.

Exercise Blog

Stop Exercising to Lose Weight. Start Exercising to Live Longer.

By: Karen Schwartz, DNP, WHNP-BC

For decades, many of us were taught that the primary reason to exercise was to lose weight or become thinner.

“Burn calories.” “Lose inches.” “Get bikini ready.”

While those messages were well-intentioned, they unintentionally overshadowed the greatest benefit of exercise: helping us live longer, healthier lives.

Today, research tells a much more powerful story.

Exercise is one of the most effective “medicines” we have. It lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, osteoporosis, depression, and several cancers. It improves sleep, mood, balance, mobility, and cognitive function. It helps preserve independence as we age. Remarkably, many of these benefits occur even when the number on the scale doesn’t change.

You Don’t Have to Become Thinner to Become Healthier

In other words, you don’t have to become thinner to become healthier.

In fact, studies consistently show that people who improve their fitness have a lower risk of premature death, even if they remain overweight. Fitness often predicts longevity better than body weight alone.

This shift in thinking is incredibly freeing.

Instead of asking:

“How many calories did I burn today?”

Ask yourself:

  • Did I make my heart stronger today?
  • Did I improve my balance?
  • Did I preserve my muscle?
  • Did I invest in my future independence?

One of the greatest changes we see with aging is the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength. This process contributes to falls, fractures, disability, and loss of independence. Regular resistance training and physical activity help slow this process, making everyday tasks, from climbing stairs to carrying groceries, easier for years to come.

Exercise is also one of the most effective treatments for fatigue, anxiety, and poor sleep. While it may seem counterintuitive, moving your body regularly often creates more energy rather than less.

A Word of Caution

Not everyone should focus on increasing exercise in the same way.

For individuals who are underweight, frail, recovering from illness, or experiencing significant muscle loss, the priority is often rebuilding strength and improving nutrition rather than burning calories. In these situations, exercise should be individualized and designed to preserve or restore muscle, improve balance, and support overall function, not promote further weight loss.

The New Goal

The goal of exercise is not simply to look better.

The goal is to:

  • Maintain muscle as you age.
  • Protect your heart and brain.
  • Preserve your balance and mobility.
  • Reduce your risk of chronic disease.
  • Maintain your independence.
  • Improve your quality of life.
  • Increase your chances of living a longer, healthier life.

If weight loss happens along the way, that’s perfectly fine. But it should be viewed as a possible side effect, not the primary purpose.

The next time you lace up your walking shoes, head to the gym, or take a bike ride, remember this: you’re not just exercising for today.

You’re investing in the ability to enjoy your grandchildren, travel, play golf, garden, dance at family weddings, and live life on your own terms for as long as possible.

That’s a goal worth moving for.


Lake Country Medical Group is accepting new patients.

📞 706-485-4004
🌐 www.LakeCountryMedicalGroup.com