Diabetes disease management in Medicare Advantage reduces hospitalizations and costs.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a telephonic diabetes disease management intervention in a Medicare Advantage population with comorbid diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Study Design: Prospective unequal randomization design of 526 members from a Medicare Advantage segment of one region of a large national health plan from May 2005 through April 2007.

Methods: High-risk and high-cost patients with diabetes and CAD who were enrolled in telephonic diabetes disease management were compared with a randomly selected comparison group receiving usual care.

Emerging information management technologies and the future of disease management.

Disease management (DM) has become a widely accepted way to support care delivery in the chronically ill patient population. Patients enrolled in these programs have been shown to have better health, fewer complications and comorbidities, and lower health care costs. The development of advanced information management technologies is further enhancing the role DM plays in optimizing outcomes and cost-effectiveness in clinical care.