Health/Disease Strategy

Heart disease is considered the costliest condition, outranking cancer. Some 80 million people require care for coronary heart disease

The shortage of oncologists and the increasing numbers of cancer survivors combine to produce a classic case of demand exceeding supply

Hospitals using emergency treatment strategies emphasizing evidence-based therapy and better communication among healthcare providers reduced heart attack patient deaths by 19% for up to one year after patient discharge, according to report.

Some employers might need to adjust copay structures overall to achieve adequate compliance.

Walgreens’ launch of its employer-centric pharmacy, health and wellness program, exemplifies a move by providers of service innovating their delivery models.

Hypertension is the leading medical condition, and health plans are finding better ways to increase DM program participation rates, such as Aetna's program tailored to the African American population

Although there are barriers to childhood and adult vaccines, benefits likely outweigh the risks, so health plans must be in the driver's seat as far as education and delivery of care.

Health plans as employers themselves need just as much of a commitment to wellness as their clients

As cancer emerges as world's top killer by 2010, MCOs will need to offer targeted education and outreach programs.

The disabled, elderly and poor populations would benefit from Medicare / Medicaid integration, but barriers have yet to give way

We're winning the war on chronic disease, but we've reached a tipping point in DM strategies

Regardless of gains made by medications to control some lipids, triglycerides, like obesity and diabetes, are on the rise, according to WellPoint's HealthCore. LDL levels alone aren't enough to knock out heart disease.

As disease management programs have grown in size and scope, the importance of justifying their expense by demonstrating financial savings has become critical.

A recent study by the University of Connecticut indicates that the cost of low health literacy to the U.S. economy is as high as $238 billion annually. It's imperative that health plans and systems drive new efforts.

Evaluating the return on investment in disease management can be quite complicated, and survey results are suggestive rather than conclusive.

While it is true that actuarial calculations of medical savings from disease management have been controversial, there is enough underlying value to DM that it will not only sustain itself, but also continue to grow as the true value of the concept emerges.

Currently, Harlan Levine, MD, is the only benefits consultant to have experience on the buy and sell side of disease management on a national basis.

Tracey Moorhead has expanded membership in the industry's leading DM alliance.

HealthPartners' DM efforts are the longest running programs in the country.

Ronald Geraty, MD, says Alere is now the second-largest health management company in the industry.

Pulling from his background in occupational health and family medicine, Richard Safeer, MD, is a pioneer in integrating DM into an overall health-promotion/workplace wellness strategy to take care of those who are ill, as well as those at risk.

ConnectiCare is known as the employer of choice among managed care organizations in Connecticut.

Pamela Menard has leveraged physician involvement and pay-for-performance to move in the direction of the medical home concept.

A founding member of the board of directors of DMAA, Michael Quilty created Matrix Medical Network in 2001 to manage the sickest Medicare Advantage and Special Needs plan members.

Great-West Healthcare is a two-time winner of DMAA's "Best Disease Management Program" for PPOs.