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Healthways

“Disease Management” RIP

The Care Continuum Alliance has mercifully and wisely rebranded it’s name and eliminated the initials “DMAA”. See its press release: Care Continuum Alliance Launches New Brand for Population Health Improvement. (As a reminder, DMAA originally stood for Disease Management Association of America.)

I for one say “hurrah, and good riddance”.

Where Did the Term “Disease Management” (DM) Trip Up?

“The Innovator’s Prescription”: Christensen’s Book Offers Insightful Dx, Unrealistic Rx

by Vince Kuraitis and David C. Kibbe MD, MBA

Being big fans of Clay Christensen and his theory of disruptive innovation (DI), we have been awaiting his just-released book The Innovator’s Prescription: A Disruptive Solution for Healthcare .  The book is co-authored by Dr. Jerome Grossman and Dr. Jason Hwang.

We have mixed reactions.

The book is mistitled. It should have been titled "The Innovator’s Diagnosis". The book does a fantastic job at diagnosis (Dx) of problems in the U.S. health care […]

Healthways Fights an Uphill Battle on Medicare Health Support Phase II

Earlier this week Healthways issued a press release describing their progress in pursuing a Phase II Medicare Health Support (MHS) project.   Read Dr. Jaan Sidorov’s blog commentary for additional background.

In brief, Healthways position is that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is statutorily required to expand into Phase II of MHS if Phase I is “successful”. While I’m very sympathetic with Healthways predicament and their frustration with CMS, I’m not optimistic that their tactics are likely to work.

In making the case, Healthways […]

The Medicare Health Support Saga: Opacity in Government Going Strong

 Vince Kuraitis and Thomas Wilson, PhD, DrPH

“If you aren’t confused you don’t know what’s going on.”
Jack Welch, former CEO, General Electric

         

Thanks to the continuing opacity of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Serices (CMS), we remain confused about the future of Medicare Health Support (MHS).

It’s been over a month since we last commented on MHS. What’s MHS?  It’s JUST the Federal Government’s most significant and visible effort to deal with one of the American health system’s biggest challenges — managing care for patients with […]

Medicare Health Support: “Do not go gentle into that good night”

Vince Kuraitis and Thomas Wilson, PhD, DrPH

“Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
Dylan Thomas

    

Despite CMS’ recent cocktail hour pronouncement that Medicare Health Support (MHS) is on its last legs, many are fighting to prolong its life.

Recent Developments

DMAA is working with Sen. John Kerry to introduce legislation mandating the continuation of Medicare Health Support (MHS).  Dr. Jaan Sidorov’s Disease Management Care Blog reprints the full announcement from the February 12 issue of […]

HealthSpring “Gets” Physician Engagement.

I’ve written a lot recently about Medicare Health Support (MHS).  We are learning a lot from MHS about what DOESN’T work with the frail, elderly Medicare population.

 

But, what DOES work?

 

One key lesson emerging from MHS is the need to integrate and engage physicians and other local care providers…easier said than done.

 

Insufficient Evidence to End Medicare Health Support

Thomas Wilson, PhD, DrPH and Vince Kuraitis

Last Tuesday during the cocktail hour, CMS issued documents portending the end of the Medicare Health Support (MHS) project.   

We initially used the word “bizarre” to describe the announcement from CMS’ staff.  After further thought, “reckless” and/or “insubordinate” strike closer to home.

First, let’s have the head-honcho at CMS instruct us on how things should be done. In September 2007 Kerry Weems, the new CMS Administrator, declared that “cocktail hour press releases” from his agency […]

$389 M of Healthways’ Market Value Vaporizes After CMS Announcement. What Happened?

Healthways stock price declined today by $10.52 (15.9%) after CMS “announcement” about ending Medicare Health Support (MHS) Phase 1.  This equates to a loss of $389 million in market capitalization…poof!  Gone. Healthways is one of the remaining five participants in the MHS program.

Without pointing fingers, it’s obvious that investors were surprised by the news.  What happened?

Four Misconceptions About HealthVault and the Emerging Personal Health Information Ecosystem (PHI-Ecosystem)

by Vince Kuraitis and David C. Kibbe, MD MBA 

The health care and technology worlds are still trying to figure out what Microsoft’s HealthVault (HV) is all about.  We believe that there are a number of misconceptions out there about what HV is and isn’t:

Misconception #1: HealthVault is a personal health record (PHR).

Misconception #2: People don’t trust Microsoft, so they won’t sign up for and use HV.

Misconception #3: Patients don’t understand PHRs, don’t want them, and don’t know what they’d do with them.  […]

Yet Another Dark Cloud in the Stormy Skies of Medicare DM

Medicare’s major thrust at chronic disease management innovation — the Medicare Health Support (MHS) pilot project — continues to gather storm clouds.

Today’s POO (persistent obfuscatory orations) Award goes to Healthways for their explanation of  MHS progress (or lack thereof) in an April 4 press release.  If you can understand what they’re saying about MHS (see p. 3) without having your CPA explain it, you’re a lot smarter than I am:

The recently received sixth quarterly CMS report for the MHS pilots continued to cumulatively […]

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