Disease Management: Promising, But Not Yet Proven.

Some studies have shown that people with chronic health conditions may experience fewer hospitalizations and have better quality of life if they receive medical care consistent with recommended standards; adhere to medication, diet, exercise, and self-care regimens; have access to transportation and social support services; and experience better communication among their health care providers. These findings have led to the development of disease management programs to help change patient and provider behavior, with the goal of saving money and improving patient quality of life. This article notes that implementation of disease management has outpaced evidence proving its worth, but that new evidence from a number of rigorous demonstration projects for Medicare beneficiaries will become available over the coming year. Early results provide some evidence that disease management may improve the quality of care but show limited effects on a patient’s diet, exercise, and adherence to medication. Furthermore, disease management programs vary widely in quality and scope, as well as in the diseases they target. The author recommends waiting for more evidence before wholesale adoption of disease management.