PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Blue Cross, together with a prominent disease management firm, will introduce Connections(SM) Kidney Program at an industry leadership forum in San Diego on October 16, 2005. The innovative disease management program was developed to effectively manage care for the growing population of Americans with kidney disease.
Dr. Esther Nash, Senior Medical Director, Health Management Programs at Independence Blue Cross, and Dr. Ravinder Mohini, Regional Medical Director, RMS Disease Management Services, will describe the value of an End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) disease management program as part of an overall health plan. The Connections Kidney Program engages both members and providers to assess and utilize comprehensive clinical information in order to achieve quality outcomes and focus on continuous quality improvement activities for patients.
"It is essential that disease management and decision support are integrated into overall health plan medical management," said Dr. Nash. "Connections enables us to learn about specific patient issues and interventions in the ESRD population, and more effectively support our providers to manage care for members with chronic kidney failure." IBC alone saw a more than 40 percent increase in ESRD patients in one year.
"RMS' nationwide renal care delivery system includes field-based nephrology nurses using specialized software to coordinate all aspects of patient care," said Dr. Mohini. "Through our collaboration with Independence Blue Cross, we are able to support fully integrated care across the continuum of ESRD patients' health care needs."
The Connections Kidney Program is one part of IBC's Connections Programs, one of the leading disease management programs in the nation. The program provides IBC members with the tools and information to become active partners in their health care.
Introduced in 2003, IBC's Connections Programs help members dealing with everyday health concerns, facing significant medical decisions or managing chronic conditions such as asthma, coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetes. Connections also gives support to members with ESRD as well as fifteen additional complex chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis and Parkinson's disease.
Connections helps a member with a chronic disease or those facing decisions about treatment options by providing a Health Coach - a specially trained health professional - 24 hours a day, seven days a week; offering Healthwise(R) Knowledgebase, an online database with a wealth of health information; informative videotapes and audio library for use upon request; and sending print materials.
The Disease Management Association of America (DMAA) promotes disease management to address the problems of escalating healthcare costs and gaps in care coordination. DMAA member organizations promote the use of evidence- based treatment guidelines to achieve the highest quality of health care available to chronically ill patients. The DMAA's seventh annual Disease Management Leadership Forum (DMLF), "Disease Management: Changing Behaviors, Changing Lives," will take place from October 16-18 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. DMLF is recognized as the premier education event and exhibit forum for the disease management community.
About RMS Disease Management, LLC.
RMS Disease Management is an affiliate of DaVita, Inc., a leading provider of services to patients with end-stage renal disease. For more information on RMS Disease Management LLC, visit the RMS Website at http://www.rms-dm.com.
About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.5 million people.
This year, Independence Blue Cross's Personal Choice was rated the No. 1 PPO in the nation and its Keystone HMO was ranked as the No. 1 HMO in the region by health care consumers in a leading independent consumer magazine.
For more than 65 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered quality health care products and services tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, groups and providers. For more information on Independence Blue Cross, visit our website at http://www.ibx.com.
Independence Blue CrossCONTACT: Liz Williams, Independence Blue Cross, +1-215-241-2220
