Cut Healthcare Costs with Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs

          The cost of healthcare is a constant concern for many Americans.  One way to reduce the cost of healthcare is improve the health of those suffering from chronic diseases.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention approximately 133 million Americans are dealing with chronic diseases.  According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado's chronically ill population accounts for more than 75 percent of Colorado's health care costs. The only way to reduce the healthcare costs caused by chronic disease is through preventative and management tactics.  One management program strategy that has been proven to be effective is Chronic Disease Self Mangement Programs.  

The Chronic Disease Self Management Programs are programs designed to improve the well being of people diagnosed with a chronic disease.  Chronic diseases are diseases that last for long periods of time; this includes diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, COPD, arthritis, and fibromyalgia.  There is no cure for these conditions, but with by learning techniques to manage them along with doctor prescribed medication it is possible for individuals to live normal, healthy lives with these diseases.  Chronic disease self-management programs are designed to help more patients understand how to manage their specific illnesses. Through managing their illness patients are able to improve and maintain their quality of life.  Proper self-management can reduce the complications associated with chronic illnesses and control an illness before it escalates, thereby reducing emergency room visits and hospitalizations.  Emergency room visit and hospitalizations are very costly; therefore this can significantly lower healthcare expenses.   

The classes are derived from Stanford University and shown to have positive outcomes and a reduction in medical expenses for individuals who participate in this program.  The results are as follows from Stanford University:

            “Subjects who took the program, when compared to those who did not, demonstrated significant improvements in exercise, cognitive symptom management, communication with physicians, self-reported general health, health distress, fatigue, disability, and social/role activity limitations.  They also spent fewer days in the hospital and there was also a trend toward fewer outpatient visits and hospitalizations.  These data yield a cost-to-savings ratio of approximately 1:10.  Many of these results persist for as long as three years”. 

            The chronic disease self-management programs are usually free workshops for people with different chronic diseases to come together and help be a support to one another and their chronic conditions. These programs are offered in many places around the country one great example of a Chronic Disease is in Clay County, Missouri.   The Clay County Public Health Department provides this program at no cost to the participants.  The funding for the workshops is provided by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Clay County Senior Service.  Anyone living with a chronic disease is welcome to register for these workshops by contacting the Clay County Public Health Department at 816-595-4240 or emailing at www.clayhealth.com.  

References

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. Chronic Disease Care and Management. Retrieved from: http://www.cohealthsource.org/initiatives/chronic-disease-care-and-management.aspx

Standford University School of Medicine. (2010).  Chronic Disease Self Management Programs.        Retreived from http://patienteducation.stanford.edu/programs/cdsmp.html.