Chronic Disease Management Programs (CDMP) – The Economic Value

Presenter: Racheli Magnezi, School of Health Sciences

Abstract

Rationale: Chronic disease management has been a rapidly growing entity in the 21st century as a strategy for managing chronic illnesses in large populations. However, experience has shown that disease management programs have not been able to demonstrate their financial value. The objectives of disease management programs are to create quality benchmarks, such as principles and guidelines, and to establish a uniform set of metrics and a standardized methodology for evaluating them. In order to illuminate the essence of disease management and its components, as well as the complexity and the problematic nature of performing economic calculations of their profitability and value, we collected data from several reports that dealt with the economic intervention of disease management programs.

Objectives: We will review the method of analysis and economic assessment of a disease management program, as well as the components and parameters that should be considered for its profitability.

Methodology: The disease management economic evaluation is composed of a series of steps, including the following major categories: Data/information technology, information generation, assessment/recommendations, actionable customer plans, and program assessment/reassessment. We demonstrate the elements necessary for economic analysis. We expand on each of these components and show how an economic analysis can be performed to evaluate the advisability and effectiveness of a program in disease management.

Conclusions: Disease management is one of the most innovative tools in the managed care environment and is still in the process of being defined. Therefore, objectives should include the creation of quality benchmarks, such as principles and guidelines, and the establishment of a uniform set of metrics and a standardized methodology for evaluating them.