Effectiveness of a disease management program for patients with diabetes.
Diabetes disease management programs (DDMPs) are proliferating, but their effectiveness in improving quality and mitigating health care spending has been difficult to measure. Using two quasi-experimental methods, this study analyzed the first-year results of a multistate DDMP for people with diabetes sponsored by a national managed care organization. In both analyses, overall cost of care were significantly lower in DDMP sites, and the payer saved more than it spent. Pharmacy costs showed mixed results. Quality scores in the DDMP sites were significantly better than in sites without the program.
Health and Technology Vector Inc., Farmington, Connecticut, USA. victor.villagra@snet.net
Victor G
VG
Villagra
Tamim
T
Ahmed
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States