What Can Disease Management Do for You?
Living with diabetes is a day-in, day-out job. A diabetes disease management program makes the job a little easier by giving you the information and support you need. It helps you take care of yourself and stick to your treatment plan. And in the long run, it may lead to better health and fewer complications.
Improve your self-care
A disease management program helps you learn essential skills for taking better care of your diabetes. You'll find out what steps you can take to protect your health. With this type of program, this is what you can do:
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Get support and guidance. As you learn new ways to manage diabetes, you may need help putting these ideas into action. Whether you have questions about how to take your medications or lose weight, you'll know where to turn for reliable answers. All you have to do is call the program's phone line or go online to visit its website.
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Take an active role in your care. A disease management program also helps you work closely with your health care provider. You're encouraged to speak up and get involved.
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Get help with setting goals. Get advice on practical strategies for making healthy behavior changes, such as eating better and exercising more. Disease management programs are designed to track your health over time. You and your health care provider can get a more complete picture of how you're doing and where improvements can be made so that you can reach your goals successfully.
Results you can measure
A disease management program sounds like a good thing--but you might be wondering whether it really works. Research shows that these programs are successful. In fact, participation in a disease management program has been strongly recommended as a way to reduce health problems caused by diabetes. The approach used by these programs can help improve blood glucose control and screening for diabetes problems.
A 2007 study in Diabetes Care found that a disease management program decreased diabetes-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Having diabetes will never be easy. But a good program can give you the tools to make the challenges more manageable.
Publication Source:
"A Systematic Review of Diabetes Disease Management Programs." Knight K et al. American Journal of Managed Care. April 2005, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 242-50.
Publication Source:
"Case Study of American Healthways' Diabetes Disease Management Program." Pope JE. Health Care Financing Review. Fall 2005, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 47-58.
Publication Source:
"Development and Evolution of a Primary Care-Based Diabetes Disease Management Program." Malone R et al. Clinical Diabetes. 2007, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 31-35.
Publication Source:
"Disease Management and the Organization of Physician Practice." Casalino LP. JAMA. January 26, 2005, vol. 293, no. 4, pp. 485-88.
Publication Source:
"Effect of a Nurse-Directed Diabetes Disease Management Program on Urgent Care/Emergency Room Visits and Hospitalizations in a Minority Population." Davidson MB et al. Diabetes Care. February 2007, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 224-27.
Publication Source:
"Recommendations for Healthcare System and Self-Management Education Interventions to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality From Diabetes." Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Am J Prev Med. May 2002, vol. 22, suppl. 4, pp. 10-14.
Publication Source:
Staywell Diabetes/Fall 2007
Author:
Andrews, Linda Wasmer
Online Source:
American Diabetes Association
http://forecast.diabetes.org/news/web-based-program-improves-diabetics-self-care
Online Source:
A1C Test, American Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/a1c-test.jsp
Online Source:
The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/media/Power_broch_Eng.pdf
Online Editor:
Louise Akin RN BSN
Online Editor:
Rachael Clarke
Online Editor:
Sinovic, Dianna
Online Medical Reviewer:
Akin, Louise RN BSN
Online Medical Reviewer:
Kelley Gaskin, RN, MSN, CPNP
Online Medical Reviewer:
Louise Akin, RN, BSN
Online Medical Reviewer:
Whorton, Donald, M.D.
Date Last Reviewed:
10/4/2009
Date Last Modified:
12/8/2009