Chronic care requires
longitudinal data.
Chronic disease requires monitoring over time. Current systems still rely mostly on short visits and incomplete information.
of U.S. adults live with at least one chronic condition
CDC / NACHC, 2025
higher cost when chronic disease is poorly managed vs. well-managed
PMC, 2021-2025
average primary care visit length — most of it spent gathering history, not making decisions
Every et al., 2026
National health objectives have long called for more meaningful use of health information technology. The challenge has not been access to technology — it has been making that technology useful at the point of care.
The data needs to be structured. It needs to be continuous. And it needs to arrive in a format that doctors can actually use in a 15-minute visit.
The 2026 Inflection Point
Three developments in 2026 affect how chronic care is delivered and evaluated.
1. Fewer Physicians
Recent projections estimate that the United States will face a shortage of approximately 96,430 physicians.
When there are fewer doctors:
- Each doctor sees more patients
- Each visit is shorter
- There is less time to review history
Short visits increase the importance of clear, structured data collected outside the clinic.
Sources: AAMC workforce projections; Medicus Healthcare Solutions, Q1 2026
2. Payment Linked More Closely to Outcomes
On January 12, 2026, CMS expanded outcome-based payment models through the ACCESS Model.
This means that reimbursement depends more on measurable patient outcomes, not just the number of visits.
To document outcomes, providers need reliable longitudinal data that shows whether a patient is stable or worsening over time.
Source: CMS ACCESS Model, 2026
3. The Regulatory Green Light
On January 6, 2026, the FDA issued updated guidance on Clinical Decision Support software — specifically clearing the path for AI tools that summarize patient data and provide guideline-based recommendations.
This category of software was once a five-year regulatory barrier for startups. Under the new guidance, it is a fast-track.
The shortage creates the need. The new payment models create the budget. The FDA has given the permission. The conditions for deployment are aligned.
Source: FDA Clinical Decision Support Guidance, January 6, 2026
Merina addresses the gap between access and meaningful use — by converting daily health data into structured clinical intelligence.