DMAA Develops Dictionary Of Disease Management Terms

WASHINGTON, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Disease Management Association of America (DMAA), the premier association representing stakeholders in the disease management (DM) community, is developing a dictionary of commonly-used DM terms. The dictionary will provide brief definitions for over 100 terms, and in-depth definitions, as well as examples, for approximately 25 of the more complex and critical terms encountered by practitioners and purchasers of DM services when measuring and evaluating disease management programs.

"This is a timely and important project for the Association," says Warren Todd, Executive Director of DMAA. "Having a clear understanding of DM terminology, especially with relation to measurement and evaluation, is long overdue for our industry and will prove to be critical for The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as it embarks upon the Chronic Care Improvement Pilot programs for the fee for service (FFS) population. Evaluation of those programs will determine the timing and extent to which DM services are extended to the entire Medicare FFS population."

Adds Karen Fitzner, PhD, DMAA Director of Research and Program Development, "The standardization of DM terms complements a number of the current research initiatives that DMAA's Quality & Research Committee has undertaken this year. Health plans and employers are rapidly becoming more demanding of DM services to increase worker productivity and stabilize the high costs of chronic conditions. Supplying this text will broaden their knowledge of DM and further DMAA's mission of educating the public on the positive outcomes DM programs produce for chronically ill populations."

DMAA's Quality and Research Committee has developed an ad hoc workgroup to develop the dictionary, led by Ian Duncan, FSA, MAAA, Partner, Lotter Actuarial Partners, and workgroup Co-Chairs Sally Duran, MSHA, CPQH, Senior Vice President, Quality Improvement, Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Inc., and Susan Jennings, PhD, Senior Director, Pfizer Health Solutions. "Through my experience in actuarial work," notes Duncan, "I encounter frequent differences and inconsistencies in measurement terms. The Definitions Workgroup is a dynamic team that will bring diverse views to help advance consensus among users and evaluators of services through this important project."

The Definitions project is currently underway and the workgroup will be convening at the DMAA office in Washington, DC on May 13, 2004. Suggestions for definitions or terms that need to be defined can be emailed to definitions@dmaa.org. The Disease Management Dictionary will be published in late 2004.

For more information contact Karen Fitzner, DMAA Director of Research and Program Development at kfitzner@dmaa.org or 202-778-3297.

DMAA is a nonprofit, voluntary membership organization, which represents all stakeholders of the disease management community. For more information, please visit http://www.dmaa.org/, email us at dmaa@dmaa.org or call (202) 861-1490.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030114/DCTU013LOGO )

CONTACT: Karen Fitzner, PhD, Director Research & Program Development, ofthe Disease Management Association of America, +1-202-778-3297, orkfitzner@dmaa.org

Web site: http://www.dmaa.org/