Workplace Disease Management Program Participation Boosted Three-fold by Patient Contact with Trusted On-site Clinician
22 Février 2007 - 2:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
New Study says Traditional cold-call Recruiting less Effective
CHADDS FORD, Pa., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The country's
largest workplace health care provider, CHD Meridian Healthcare (an
I-trax company, Amex: DMX), has published encouraging research
demonstrating that a new technique it has developed resulted in a
three-fold improvement in enrollment into a corporate-sponsored
disease management program. The results of the research
demonstrated an encouraging 76 percent enrollment rate, which
compares to the typical rate of about 25 percent using conventional
enrollment methods. According to the study, "Disease Management
Engagement Rates: Leveraging the Trusted Clinician," published in
the February issue of Disease Management, enrollment rates in
workplace disease management programs can be improved by involving
a familiar and trusted clinician in the recruiting process, as
opposed to relying solely on the anonymous telephone callers
typically used in disease management programs. Disease Management
is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Disease Management
Association of America (http://www.liebertpub.com/) The study
involved nearly 2,000 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.* (NYSE:GT)
employees, dependents and retirees who were identified and invited
to participate in disease management programs to better control
their diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease. They were
selected to participate based on data demonstrating dramatic
opportunities to improve their health and medical condition
statuses. The group, approached through established, trusted
primary care clinicians delivering care at the workplace, were
contacted and enrolled at significantly higher rates than those
approached through the traditional "cold-call" process. "At
Goodyear, we recognize the fact that good health among our
associates translates into greater efficiency, productivity and
reduced cost," noted Dr. Bruce Sherman, Goodyear's global medical
director. "That's why we are continually looking for new and better
ways to encourage our more than 75,000 associates around the world
to take an active interest in their and their families' health. By
utilizing our worksite primary health care and pharmacy services to
integrate other programs such as disease management, we can get key
information disseminated and really make a difference in the scale
and scope of these tactical programs." CHD Meridian Healthcare
found that enrollment in the Goodyear program particularly spiked
(79 percent) when patients were approached to participate during a
regularly scheduled visit with a familiar clinician at their
worksite health center. "These results are fascinating and provide
evidence that 'high touch' methods for recruitment to care
management programs can be worth the investment. This added benefit
also dovetails with the growing interest by large employers in
on-site medical centers," said Helen Darling, President, National
Business Group on Health. "Coordinating the 'trusted clinicians in
the workplace' with remote telephonic nurse coaches - aligning
caregivers into a single, integrated delivery model - will bring us
closer to realizing the potential value of population health
management which includes healthier employees, reduced health care
costs, increased productivity and reduced absenteeism," the study
authors concluded. "Our company is committed to doing the research
necessary to methodically demonstrate the value of workplace health
and productivity solutions," said Dr. Ray Fabius, President of CHD
Meridian Healthcare and a co-author of the study. "The results of
this study are directly relevant to all types of employee health
management and wellness programs." CHD Meridian Healthcare has
plans for additional studies to evaluate the clinical, financial
and utilization outcomes of the patients in disease management
programs facilitated by a trusted clinician versus those in
conventional programs. Authors of the study include CHD Meridian
Healthcare employees Sharon G. Frazee, Ph.D., Vice President,
Health Informatics; Patricia Kirkpatrick, R.N., Vice President
Integrated Care; and Dr. Fabius. For more on disease management go
to: http://www.dmaa.org/dm_definition.asp About CHD Meridian
Healthcare CHD Meridian Healthcare, an I-trax company, is the
leading provider of integrated workplace health and productivity
management solutions. Serving nearly 100 clients at over 215
locations nationwide, CHD Meridian Healthcare offers on-site health
centers, which deliver primary care, acute care, corporate health,
occupational health and pharmacy care management services as well
as integrated disease management, wellness and lifestyle management
programs. CHD Meridian Healthcare provides a comprehensive solution
utilizing telephonic and e-health tools to enhance the trusted
relationship established by its clinicians at the worksite. CHD
Meridian Healthcare is focused on helping companies achieve
employer of choice status, making the workplace safe, improving the
quality of care and the productivity of the workforce while
mitigating healthcare costs. Managing employer-sponsored health
centers for over 40 years, some of CHD Meridian Healthcare's
clients include: BMW, Blue Ridge Paper, Coors Brewing Company,
Coushatta Casino Resort, DENSO Manufacturing Michigan, Deutsche
Bank, Eastman Chemical, Fieldale Farms, Horizon Blue Cross Blue
Shield of New Jersey, Lowe's, Toyota, UnumProvident and US Steel.
For more information, visit http://www.chdmeridian.com/. About
Goodyear Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. The
company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and
chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries around the
world. Goodyear employs more than 75,000 people worldwide.
*Although Goodyear is not identified in the study as the worksite
explored, it was the sole organization involved in this study.
Contacts: Peter Hotz CHD Meridian Healthcare (610) 459-2405 x126
Michelle Sawatka-Fernandez Edelman (212) 704-4544 DATASOURCE:
I-trax, Inc. CONTACT: Peter Hotz of CHD Meridian Healthcare,
+1-610-459-2405 x126, , or Michelle Sawatka-Fernandez of Edelman,
+1-212-704-4544, Web site: http://www.i-trax.com/
http://www.dmaa.org/dm_definition.asp http://www.chdmeridian.com/
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