ATLANTA, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Finding the strategies
that will help employers and health plans successfully adapt to the
changing healthcare environment will be a focal point of a
presentation given by Gordon Norman,
MD, MBA, chief innovation officer for Alere, at AHIP's Institute
2010 June 9–11 in Las Vegas.
Alere is a patient-centered health management company serving
large employers and health plans nationwide.
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Norman's presentation, "Beyond Theory: Implementing a
Patient-Centric Health Ecosystem", describes the complex health
ecosystems facing individuals today and the challenges they pose
for navigating and understanding today's complex healthcare
environment. The presentation is scheduled for Thursday, June 10 at 10:30
a.m.
A health ecosystem is described as the interplay of myriad
factors, including the environment, personal attributes and
relationships, cultural influences, technology, and health
resources that affect individual health status.
Norman notes that emerging patient-centric ecosystems can
provide the structure needed to meet the challenges of today's
healthcare environment including rising costs, poor outcomes,
discrepancies in care and misalignment of priorities.
"The solution to many of the healthcare challenges we face as
individuals, employers, health plans and the nation as a whole is
to find ways to ensure a more collaborative approach to developing
healthcare programs and services," said Norman. Examples of
beneficial programs – those that promote patient-centric ecosystems
– include benefit programs that fully integrate disease management,
wellness and disability for all employees or participants, not just
those with chronic illnesses, according to Norman.
Norman's presentation will also highlight the quality of life,
health improvement and cost savings such approaches can bring.
For example, studies conducted by Alere have shown that every
dollar of medical & pharmacy costs is matched by $2.30 of health-related productivity
costs(1).
In addition, a recent article in Health Affairs notes
that medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs
and that absenteeism costs fall by about $2.73 for every dollar spent(2).
Norman also stresses that to obtain and improve savings, health
plan sponsors need to take additional steps, such as expanding
their incentive programs and leveraging technology by implementing
medical technologies like patient health records and health portals
that integrate health management services on one easily accessible
platform. They also need to promote collaborative care platforms
that will better connect primary care physicians, nurses, case
managers and others directly involved in patient care. Most
importantly, Norman will highlight the value of a personalized
approach to healthcare, including programs tailored specifically
for the needs of individual participants. That includes nurses,
dieticians and other healthcare providers working with participants
as health coaches.
"No two individuals share the exact same health ecosystem, so no
two individuals should have the same healthcare program," said
Norman. "When employers and payers take steps to improve
their ecosystems, improved health is achieved at the lowest
possible cost to individuals, employers, plans, and society."
About Alere
Alere (www.alere.com) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (www.invernessmedical.com)
(NYSE: IMA). Alere, a Latin verb, meaning "to care for" or "to
support", offers the most patient-centered health management
services available from a single provider in the industry. Alere
services provide health interventions that are designed for the
entire lifespan from pre-cradle (high-risk pregnancy and NICU
management) to end-of-life care (complex care) as well as the
continuum of health from wellness (health and productivity
programs) and prevention to total health management of the
individual for those having various chronic illnesses.
(1) JOEM 2009 51:4
(2) Health Affairs 2010. 29:2
SOURCE Alere