Archives for December 2019

Integration of Motivational Interviewing Techniques May Improve Outcomes

There is abundant evidence the current medical system is not meeting the needs of people with Type 2 diabetes, nor adequately educating patients on the strategies they may use to delay or eliminate the onset of the disease.

One reason may be that people are being cared for in an acute care system not well suited to address the complex and on-going needs of someone suffering with a chronic disease. Primary care systems have the expertise and experience to optimize care in many situations, but chronic illnesses with several accompanying comorbid conditions strains the system to overload.

These challenges underscore the importance of high quality case management, which has shown to be effective in improving outcomes and reducing the risk of complications of Type 2 diabetes.

Financial Burden Rising for System, Families  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 23.1 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and an additional 7.2 million people have the disease but are unaware of it.

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Studies Demonstrate Powerful Impact of Effective Case Management

In healthcare, fiscal responsibility and patient outcomes are essential to the bottom line, and both are significantly impacted by the efforts, expertise, and effectiveness of case managers.

Case management grew from a program in the 1970s designed to integrate social welfare services, and has since evolved into an integral part of providing quality healthcare. It has continued to evolve in the shift toward value-based care initiatives that tie payment to patient outcomes.

A recent study by Harvard Medical School researchers compared eight years of data from patients enrolled in Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Alternative Quality Contract (AQC) to a control group in other states. The AQC is a population-based payment model that includes rewards and penalties for healthcare provider performance.

The study found there was slower growth in spending and savings that, over time, exceeded the incentives. In the early years of the study, the savings were driven by lower prices, but as the program gained momentum, the savings resulted from a lower utilization of services, including labs, emergency room visits, and some imaging.

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