Health Dialog Surveys Physicians on Population Health Management in Practice

New Research to be Released at the Care Continuum Alliance Forum 2012

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health Dialog today announced that it has surveyed more than 100 primary care practices throughout the country on implementing population health management strategies as part of day-to-day patient care. The research, conducted in collaboration with Psyma (a marketing research agency), will be released this week at the Care Continuum Alliance (CCA) Forum 2012, in a report developed together by Health Dialog and the CCA.

“Population Health Management in Physician Practice: A Call to Action”

Healthcare delivery system reform is dramatically shifting physician practice models toward more collaborative, longitudinal care structures that reward outcomes over volume of services rendered. As such, physician attention has turned to population health management as a relevant and necessary undertaking for success in a post-reform future. To that end, the new research was commissioned to provide in-depth feedback from primary care practices nation-wide on progress toward the adoption and implementation of population health management strategies to support new care models.

Population health management, as defined by CCA and as referenced in the survey, is a collection of physician-supervised interventions, implemented for populations defined by a healthcare need or condition, that help patients and caregivers optimize care, prevent future complications, and maximize opportunities for wellness. Key findings in the report include:

• The majority of practices surveyed recognized the importance of population health management, but lacked the knowledge of and familiarity with how to deploy these strategies in practice.
• Major challenges to implementation included increased administrative burden, cost, and time, yet practices showed openness to short-term disruption of patient care for the longer-term benefits of improved patient experience, improved population health, and reduced healthcare costs.
• Practices see population health management as a way to successfully move forward but need guidance and support. The report includes recommendations from practices further along in population health management implementation for practices who are still in early stages.

To download “Population Health Management in Physician Practice: A Call to Action” click here. The report will be distributed on-site at the Forum on Friday, October 19^th as part of a Plenary Session by Dr. Mary McNaughton-Collins, of Massachusetts General Hospital, on what it is like to be a primary care physician today, in the midst of these important changes and trends.

About Health Dialog:

Health Dialog Services Corporation is a leading provider of healthcare analytics and decision support. The firm is a private, wholly-owned subsidiary of Bupa, a global provider of healthcare services. Health Dialog helps healthcare payors improve healthcare quality while reducing overall costs. Company offerings include health coaching for medical decisions, chronic conditions, and wellness; population analytic solutions; and consulting services. Health Dialog helps individuals participate in their own healthcare decisions, develop more effective relationships with their physicians, and live healthier, happier lives. For more information, visit www.healthdialog.com.

About the Care Continuum Alliance:

The Care Continuum Alliance represents more than 200 organizations and individuals and aligns all stakeholders along the continuum of care toward improving the health of populations. Through advocacy, research, and education, the Care Continuum Alliance advances population-based strategies to improve care quality and value and to reduce preventable costs and improve quality of life for individuals with and at risk of chronic conditions. Learn more at www.carecontinuumalliance.org.