Employers Turning To Disease Management

Disease management programs to control health care costs have won considerable acceptance among employers, a new study says.

The number of companies using condition-specific disease management programs grew to 83% in 2005, up from 73% in 2004, according to “Improving Care Coordination Through Physician/Disease Management Collaboration,” a report from Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and Healthways Inc., Nashville, Tenn.

According to the study:

49% of companies profile chronic conditions prevalent in the work force, up from 42%.