Introduction
When certain measures and precautions are undertaken by a patient of a particular disease in order to avoid potential problems of their health then it is known as disease management. In this patients and people suffering from chronological diseases are taught methods and educated on ways through which they can reduce if not eliminate the occurrence and intensity of their diseases. Disease management is very helpful in saving money and energy of both the patient and health departments. This is because occasional and timely care of a disease can surely result in saving of long term.
History
Disease management was initially proposed as a program by the insurance companies so that they could save on insurance money. The theory was that if patients learn to take care and deal with their disease on daily cases then there is a high possibility that they won’t need as much and as frequent medical attention as before. The diseases in question are chronic diseases which have the tendency to reappear after some period or appear in specific weather and season. These disease are managed through drug therapy, however if a little care and some dieting is done then there is a possibility that you would have to consume fewer medicines with lesser frequency.
Features
The types of diseases which are normally dealt with in these programs are cancer, asthma, arthritis, sleep apnea, kidney failure and heart diseases. Some of the major industries of disease management are Accordant, Alere are Caremark. In its core, this program has the theory that with right tools and expert opinion then it is more suitable to slowly eradicate and deal with the disease then to jump on the process of curing it. It is considered to be cost efficient and more effective also. However, this is the case with only a limited number of diseases and for others it is more suitable to be cured on spot because other diseases might grow in long term. Plus, it is also dependent on the stage of the disease, if it is in the initial stages then this program and process can be applied but if the disease has spread a lot then it is advised to cure the disease. According to disease management if the person takes a proper intake of specified proteins , vitamins and nutrients then his or her body becomes stronger and is able to fight the disease in a more effective way , thus lesser medical care is required. To maintain the level of nutrients intake constant, some of the supplements in the form of paste and pills are given by doctors. These supplements also provide the body with acids which help the body to burn reduce the unnecessary levels of cholesterol in the body.
Tips and comments
Disease management is very helpful and can be effective at the same time. But one thing should be kept in mind that it requires a well-balanced diet. A good diet would provide the body with necessary vitamins and minerals and the best way to consume them is through the food we take in each meal. The pills and supplements should only be taken to fill in the gap which is left from meal. This means that a person should not rely on medicines only.
