Wellness Programs: Disease Management

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Definitions

Disease Management

Disease management, as defined by the Care Continuum Alliance (CCA), 2011, is a multi-disciplinary, comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated method to achieving desired outcomes by utilizing preventive measures and evidence-based practice guidelines to alter the natural course of the disease; therefore, improving the overall health for a population. These outcomes include processes of reducing healthcare costs while improving the quality of life for individuals by preventing or minimizing the efforts of a disease through integrative care (CCA, 2011). Program success relies that a comprehensive system be in place that incorporates the patient, physician, and health plan into one system with one common goal (Menon, 2002).

Population Health Management

Population health management is the organization of health care delivered across a population with an aim to improve quality of care while managing cost (McAlearney, 2003). The intent of population health management is to improve the health by addressing a broad range of factors that impact well-being on a population-level, such as environment, social structure, and resource distribution (Kindig & Stoddart, 2003). A significant step in achieving success is by reducing inequities in health among the defined population group (Kindig & Stoddart, 2003). Population health programs include the ability to assess the health needs of a specific population, implement and evaluate interventions to improve the health of that population, and provide care for individual patients in the context of the culture, health status, and health needs of the populations of which they are a member (Association of American Medical Colleges, 1999).

Wellness Programs

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