National Coalition Hosts Event to Examine Costs Savings through Delivery System Reform
Better Care Coordination of Chronically Ill Patients is a Critical Component of Health Reform
Washington, D.C. (June 4, 2009) - Today during a Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease policy briefing on Capitol Hill, health care experts emphasized that making improvements to the health care delivery system is critical to address the number one driver of cost, disability and death within the health care system:preventable and poorly managed chronic illnesses.
The panelists discussed ways to drive down health care costs by establishing a delivery system that provides better care coordination for chronically ill patients, while building in incentives to reward patients and providers for prevention, early detection and dedicated disease management.
"Care coordination through employer or community-based models needs to be an essential element of any national health reform plan," said Kenneth Thorpe, Ph.D., Executive Director of the PFCD, who was also the moderator of the event. "We hope key findings from the successes of the programs discussed today will serve as a guide to policymakers, and others, as they look to develop policies to address the crisis of chronic illness."
Chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes place an incredible burden on American families, the U.S. health care system, and the greater economy. The panelists assembled a diverse index of case studies - from business, communities and across geographic locations, and populations - consisting of sustainable, replicable programs that work to improve health while lowering costs.
Of note, William Ellis, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the American Pharmacists Association Foundation (APhA) presented findings from his innovative program, the Diabetes Ten City Challenge. By proving incentives, employers in ten communities encouraged people to manage their diabetes with the help of coaches, physicians and other community health resources. This collaborative approach achieved a savings of approximately $918 per employee in total health care costs in its initial year.
Other speakers at the event echoed Thorpe and Ellis' comments that efforts to better prevent and management of chronic disease to develop innovative, common sense solutions to the current health care system crisis. These speakers, who highlighted the evidence-base in their area of expertise, included:
- Tracey Moorhead, President and Chief Executive Officer of the DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance
- Audrey Tayse Haynes, Senior Vice President and Chief Government Affairs Officer of Government Relations and Policy at the YMCA of the USA
- John Harris, M.Ed., FAWHP, Chief Wellness Officer and Senior Vice President, Healthways; Co-founder of Harris HealthTrends, Inc.
The imperative of shifting focus in health reform to finding ways to more effectively motivate and reward Americans for health and wellness was a common point of emphasis for all the speakers.
"These successful programs in health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention should be evaluated to find out why they work as effectively as they do and determine how to scale them nationally," said Dr. Thorpe. "Programs like community health teams, Right Choices grants, employer wellness credits and prevention and wellness grants will help improve the quality and coordination of care and should serve as models for future initiatives."
About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease:
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is a national and state-based coalition of patients, providers, community organizations, business and labor groups, and health policy experts committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability, and rising health care costs in the U.S.: chronic disease. For more information about the PFCD and its partner organizations, please visit: www.fightchronicdisease.org.
###
Share It
