Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention capabilities of selected HMOs: findings of an employer survey.
OBJECTIVE
To survey Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) of a major employer regarding the extent of their health promotion and disease prevention capabilities.


METHODS
A one-time cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
The setting involved in this study was managed care organizations.


METHODS
The subjects were 22 HMOs located in the western part of the United States.


METHODS
The study involved completion of a survey grid on a fairly comprehensive range of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention activities.


RESULTS
Twenty-two HMOs were surveyed and 20 responded, providing a response rate of 90.9%. Analysis of distribution of responses and simple means were used. If a "perfect score" included addressing all 52 prevention targets across all 13 intervention modalities (minus inappropriate combinations) and that represented a score of 100%, the highest scoring HMO indicated that it provided or addressed 36.8% of all possible modalities and prevention target combinations. The composite average score for all three areas of prevention for all responding HMOs was slightly less than 13%. Additionally, five of the HMO respondents provided approximately 59% of all the prevention activity reported in the survey. Nonrepresentativeness of the HMOs in the sample represents the most significant study limitation.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that prevention capabilities among the HMOs surveyed are unevenly distributed and somewhat concentrated.
Chapman
L S
LS
Summex Corporation, Seattle, Washington 98155, USA.
Nelson
L
L
Sloan
B
B
Plankenhorn
R
R
D003625:Data Collection; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires