Groundbreaking Diabetes Disease Management Program Honored With URAC National Best Practices Award

URAC awards the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Arkansas Department of Health, Comprehensive Neuroscience, Inc., and Lilly the Bronze Award in Health Information and Decision Support at the 2009 Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards for the Arkansas Diabetes Disease Management Program.

Indianopolis (PRWEB) May 14, 2009 -- URAC, a leading independent health care quality accrediting organization, has awarded the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Arkansas Department of Health, Comprehensive Neuroscience, Inc., and Lilly the Bronze Award in Health Information and Decision Support at the 2009 Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards for the Arkansas Diabetes Disease Management Program.

The awards honor health care programs that advance patient safety and empower consumers. Finalists for the awards share program information with conference attendees to encourage duplication of best practices across the country. Details on the Arkansas Diabetes Disease Management Program, including program results, are available at www.lillyforbetterhealth.com.

"Our Best Practices Awards Program is a unique celebration of the best the health care industry has to offer. These companies have made a difference in the lives of consumers by implementing leading-edge programs with results that matter," said Alan P. Spielman, president and CEO, URAC. "At a time when health care reform is in the spotlight, achievements from companies like Lilly are even more important."

How the Program Works
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23.6 million people in the United States have diabetes.1

In an effort to combat the growing prevalence of diabetes in Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services implemented the Diabetes Disease Management Program.

As part of the project, Medicaid clients receive intensive diabetes self-management education from a qualified educator at one of 45 diabetes education centers throughout the state. The training covers such topics as blood glucose monitoring; how to self-examine feet, eyes and skin; the importance of exercise; and making healthy food choices.

Lilly provides financial support for the program while operation and implementation are conducted solely by the state and research firm Comprehensive Neuroscience, Inc.

"Participating in preventive efforts is an investment in health, but it's also an opportunity to impact the rising cost of Medicaid," said Roy Jeffus, director of DHS' Division of Medical Services, which oversees the state's Medicaid program. "Equipping Arkansans with the tools to manage their disease allows them to maintain a better quality of life and at less cost to the State budget."

Evidence suggests that 96 cents of every Medicare dollar and 83 cents of every Medicaid dollar are used to treat chronic diseases.2 Disease management programs help patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, manage their condition and get the care they need.

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of every 10 deaths in the United States.3 For more than seven years, Lilly has been dedicated to funding disease management programs in partnership with state Medicaid departments to improve patient care and outcomes," said Alex M. Azar II, vice president, Lilly USA, LLC.

URAC Awards Details
In all, URAC honored 26 finalists for excellence among entries from health care management, health information technology, health plan and pharmacy benefit management organizations. Entries were evaluated by a prestigious 27-member panel of independent judges, including experts in program evaluation, care coordination, health information technology, employer and purchaser decision-making and patient safety. A complete list of winners may be found at www.urac.org.

About Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers - through medicines and information - for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. For more information about the Diabetes Disease Management Program and other Lilly programs that help improve patient care, visit www.lillyforbetterhealth.com.

About URAC
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation and certification programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.
   
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2007 http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2007.pdf Accessed on April 3, 2009.
2Kenneth E. Thorpe, "Prevention and Public Health: The Key to Transforming our Sickcare System," (Written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Hearing) December 10, 2008.
3Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, "Chronic Disease Overview," CDC, http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/overview.htm.

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