Disease Management—A Great Concept, but Can You Implement It?

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Abstract
Disease management (DM) is a compelling concept. For many chronic conditions, DM programs can simultaneously improve clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction while reducing the net cost of medical care. However, many programs are ultimately abandoned or fail to achieve their full potential due to difficulties encountered in implementing what seems like a sound program design. Implementation issues and barriers can be grouped into three major categories: (1) lack of strong physician leadership; (2) failure to align incentives; and (3) failure to identify and address operational issues. Organizations that wish to implement DM programs should develop a comprehensive plan that fosters physician leadership, rewards all stakeholders, and proactively identifies and resolves operational issues. By addressing these critical areas, organizations will greatly increase the likelihood that their programs will succeed and be implemented in a reasonable period of time.