Modifying Patients Behaviors to Optimize Disease Management Outcomes

One of the greatest roadblocks to effective disease management is getting patients to comply with doctors' orders. By using a combination of technology and psychology, healthcare providers, health plan administrators and employers can work to modify patients' behaviors to optimize disease management outcomes. But to be successful, these programs require active patient engagement that emphasizes self-care, self-monitoring, and self-education. In short, programs that empower and motivate members to participate in their own healthcare. But how do you get patients to invest in themselves? In this special report, "Modifying Patients' Behaviors to Optimize Disease Management Outcomes," based on two recent audio conferences, expert speakers described results-oriented strategies that healthcare organizations can use to bring about the appropriate attitude and behavior adjustment in patients. This 60-page report is based on the July 28, 2004 audio conference "The Role of Behavior Modification in Disease Management: How You Can Maximize your Program's Effectiveness" and the November 3, 2004 audio conference "Patient Engagement Strategies in Disease Management" during which Citrin, Lehman, Montijo, Navarro, Smith and Sullivan described which strategies healthcare organizations are using to modify behaviors to increase the effectiveness of disease management programs and strategies that are most successful at engaging members in disease management programs. You'll get details on: -Effective tools for behavior modification; -Using technology to impact behaviors; -Getting physicians on board with disease management programs to help effectiveness of programs; -Recruiting patients into disease management programs; -Patient profiles that indicate a willingness to change; and The real story on incentives.