HCPro.com: Population Health Insider

August 2008 (Volume 14, Issue 8)	view entire issue

Playing to good health
The Nintendo Wii has taken the country by storm and is being promoted as a healthier alternative to video game consoles that don't require full-body participation. Now, health leaders are exploring whether gaming has a place in healthcare, most notably in chronic care and in teaching children about healthy living. Using games to improve health turns the negative perception of video games on its head. Until recently, parents and health advocates railed against the correlation between playing video games and lack of exercise.

Study affirms connection between diabetes, depression
Key factors in keeping diabetes under control is being active, keeping weight down, and eating properly, but for someone with depression, these tasks might seem impossible. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), between one and three of every 10 people with diabetes has depression, and research has affirmed the connection. "Examining a Bidirectional Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Diabetes," published in the June 18 Journal of American Medical Association, found that those with elevated depressive symptoms had a modest increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, regardless of sociodemographics and metabolic factors.

Care management shows benefits
A recent study could provide a look into the future of care management. Rather than using the regular call center-based care management program, "Effectiveness of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, Web Communication, and Pharmacist Care on Hypertension Control," published in the June 25 Journal of American Medical Association, analyzed a program delivered through secure Web communication and found that the program improved BP in hypertension patients. The study involved more than 700 hypertension patients in the Group Health plan in Seattle who did not have a comorbidity such as diabetes or heart failure.

Bringing programs together improves results
Integrating substance abuse treatment with prenatal visits brings positive results to maternal and newborn health, according to a study published June 26 on the online Journal of Perinatology. The study, "Substance Abuse Treatment Linked with Prenatal Visits Improves Prenatal Outcomes: A New Standard," reviewed Kaiser Permanente's Early Start program-an obstetric clinic-based prenatal substance abuse treatment program that tests all expectant mothers for drug use.

Five questions with . Keith R. Dunleavy, MD
Editor's note: Keith R. Dunleavy, MD, is president, CEO, and corporate director at MedAssurant, Inc., a Bowie, MD-based provider of healthcare quality, care management, and verification systems. Dunleavy is responsible for the overall execution of the company's business plan, expansion of strategic relationships, and the identification and realization of company product strategy and vision. Below, Dunleavy discusses patient medical data and what is needed to drive improvements in that area.

Other recently-published articles from Population Health Insider:

Cisco creates culture of wellness

Employers favor carrot over stick

Definition of the medical home tiers

CMS unveils two-tier medical home care management fee

Risk-adjusted model underpays, ignores functional status

Five questions about physicians’ role in CDHPs

Study: Most-integrated health plans in better shape

LifeMasters: DM’s phoenix rises from failed merger with Healthways

Most specialties see slight increase

Deliotte report trumpets possible convergence

CDHPs, wellness gain momentum

Wellness gains steam

Weight loss helps type 2 diabetes patients

Physician practices will need DM/population health

College announces chronic care degree program

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