The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #46406

Miriam A Cannon Wagner, RN¹, David R. Walker, PhD², and Richard P. Vance, MD². (1) Informatics, CorSolutions, Inc., 1371 A Abbott Court, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089, 800-343-6311, mcannon@corsolutions.com, (2) Outcomes Research, CorSolutions, 1371A Abbott Court, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

The burden of chronic disease has affected > 90 million Americans including 58 million with cardiovascular disease. $287 billion in health care costs and lost productivity can be attributed to cardiovascular disease alone. HF incidence at 10 per 1,000 >age 65 with hospital readmission rates at 50%. Disease Management (DM) has been used to control costs and improve clinical outcomes. Methods: A large national DM company enrolled high-risk HF participants in conjunction with large Commercial and Medicare-Risk Plans. Predicated on AHCPR and AHA/ACC Guidelines, the HF DM incorporates computer prompted decision support to facilitate interventions. Via telephonic monitoring, Web-based instruction, and interactive voice response, nurses communicate with patients to implement a desired treatment plan. DM nurses concentrate on stabilizing/improving health and promoting patient satisfaction and quality of life (QOL). Specific implementation modules: Medication, Symptom, and Dietary Management, Exercise and Activity, Smoking Cessation, Co-morbidity and Stress Management and QOL. Results: 10,651 patients were enrolled with an average of 11.2 months on program, 52.3% female, average age 73.3 with 30% >80 years. Events described as per 1000 patients per month, ER visits 25/1000; hospitalizations 53/1000; days 274/1000. 87.9% received vasodilator medication with a 4.8% increase (p <0.05); 16.2% reduction in dietary sodium (p<0.05); 88% stability/improvement in functional status (NYHA); SF-12 QOL results for Mental Component Summary (MCS) score 54.4 and Physical Component Summary (PCS) score 38.4 which represents an increase of 2.1% MCS and 2.6% PCS (p<0.05). Conclusion: Implementation of an interactive DM system improves compliance and QOL.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the impact of disease management in the heart failure population.
• Name three ways that nurses can communicate with patients.
• Describe one of the implementation modules and desired outcomes.

Keywords: Disease Management, Health Management Information Systems

Related Web page: corsolutions.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: CorSolutions, Inc. A Disease Management Company in Buffalo Grove, IL National company that contracted with health plans and enrolled their members into the program.
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.