Health Management Corporation (HMC), a leading national health and disease management company, today announced the addition of metabolic syndrome as a core chronic condition managed through its Healthy ReturnsDisease Managementprogram. Metabolic syndrome, a condition that includes obesity, hyperlipidemia and hypertension, was added to the program because of its high prevalence in commercial, Medicaid and Medicare populations.
HMC’s metabolic syndrome program was designed using the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults, Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III). Other core chronic conditions managed by HMC through Healthy Returns include asthma, diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression and low back pain.
“Metabolic syndrome affects 47 million adults in the United States and is a precursor to future health problems, including heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular/artery disease, diabetes and renal disease,” explained Sherri Miller, R.N., B.S.N., M.B.A., vice president of product and market management for HMC. “By treating hyperlipidemia, hypertension and obesity as one set of risk factors, employers can impact larger portions of their populations, leading to better overall health and a reduction in medical spending.”
The Healthy ReturnsDisease Management program employs a primary nurse model. Through this unique clinical structure, the primary nurse manager supports the physician’s plan of care by maintaining significant contact with identified participants; facilitating educational telephonic teachings related to medication and treatment compliance, diet and exercise, and stress and lifestyle management; and intervening with participants based on severity of condition or compliance with treatment. Participants have 24-hour phone access to nurses for accurate answers to their health questions, as well as access to Web resources and decision tools.
ABOUT HMC
Founded in 1983, HMC is a leading national health and disease management company addressing chronic and complex health conditions that have a dramatic impact on healthcare outcomes and costs. Through a combination of clinical interventions, innovative technology, advanced predictive models and rigorous evaluation methodology, HMC helps health plans and employers to increase self care, improve clinical outcomes and lower overall costs. The company’s unique clinical structure consists of assigned primary nurse care managers, who develop an Individualized Intervention PlanSM (IIP) to address members' primary and co-morbid conditions. HMC is consistently recognized by Health Industries Research Companies as one of the top disease management companies in America. For more information about HMC, call 800-523-9279 or visit www.choosehmc.com.