237663 Cost Analysis of Chronic Disease Self Management Programs Being Delivered in South Florida

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Timothy Page, PhD , Health Policy and Management, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Richard Palmer, DrPH , Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, FIU Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, FL
Background: Chronic disease is responsible for the majority of healthcare spending in the United States. South Florida residents have the highest per enrollee Medicare expenditures in the country. Programs that effectively promote the self management of chronic diseases have the potential to reduce the financial burden of the diseases.

Objective: To measure the costs of delivering Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP) in order to determine whether CDSMP has the potential to produce a net cost savings among elderly residents of South Florida.

Methods: Four agencies participating in the delivery of CDSMP workshops were surveyed to obtain data related to program costs. Cost information included both initial implementation and ongoing workshop delivery costs. Cost information was then combined with monetary benefits documented in the chronic disease management literature. Questionnaires were e-mailed to program coordinators from agencies participating in the delivery of CDSMP workshops. Questionnaires were returned via e-mail.

Results: Average costs for implementation per program completer were $288. These average costs are below the $1,381 healthcare cost reductions documented in the literature during the first year following completion of the program.

Conclusions: The cost measurements combined with information from the literature on potential cost savings attributable to CDSMP suggest that CDSMP may be effective in reducing healthcare costs among elderly residents of South Florida. These cost savings suggest that Medicare should consider sponsoring the implementation of these programs since the associated cost savings will accrue mainly to insurers.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the costs associated with delivering CDSMP workshops. 2. Compare the costs of delivering CDSMP workshops to the cost savings documented in the chronic disease literature.

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, Self-Management

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I am a Ph.D. economist who specializes in the measurement of costs and outcomes associated with programs and policies.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.