Disease Management

Health professionals, policymakers and institutions in many countries have begun introducing some form of disease management programme and similar approaches to address the rising burden of chronic disease. The nature and scope of programmes and care models differ however, and so does the evidence about their effectiveness, about the value of different approaches, and about what works in what contexts and for what populations. This chapter explores the nature of disease management as a tool or strategy for integrated care. It shows that, overall, disease management holds promise to improve processes and outcomes of care but evidence that is available tends to be limited to a small set of conditions only. Disease management approaches that employ a multifaceted strategy and target those most likely to benefit are more likely to enhance outcomes of those with chronic disease. However, disease-specific approaches may be ill-suited to meet the needs of the typical patient in primary care who frequently has multiple health problems with complex needs.