State of Mind

Edition: April 2007 - Vol 15 Number 04
Article#: 2644
Author: Melia Sandler

From diabetes to hypertension, America is becoming a nation characterized by chronic illnesses. Top disease states account for billions in healthcare spending each year, with diabetes alone representing about $132 billion, or $1 out of every $10 spent on U.S. healthcare.

As a result, physicians are increasingly looking toward “disease state management” programs to help prevent and treat these illnesses and to reduce escalating healthcare costs.

“Our system is not efficient, let’s face it,” says Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. Surgeon General, during an interview at HIDA’s 2007 Executive Conference. “We spend over 90 percent of our health budget treating diseases and their complications – many of which we could prevent in the first place.”

Yet true disease state management — an initiative that aims to improve patient health and clinical outcomes — extends beyond the doctor to the distributor.

As partners in the healthcare supply chain, distributors equip physicians with the products and tools needed to diagnose, monitor and manage various illnesses. Forward-thinking distributors, however, recognize that successful disease state management can also help their customers save time and resources.

By showing providers that you understand the value of such programs and are knowledgeable about the diseases affecting practice workflows, you can distinguish yourself as a distributor and create greater customer loyalty.



Curbing chronic illness

Where do you begin?

“Getting up to speed on disease management may sound like a lot of effort, but we’re working to make it much easier for our members,” says Yvonne Noel, vice president of membership with the Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA).

“We know that time is just as precious to our distributors as it is to their customers,” Noel says. “So one of the new resources HIDA is offering its members is a free online Disease State Guide Center.”

The center houses multiple guides. Each one details a top disease state and is designed to update distributors on everything from physician and product profiles to reimbursement information and specific market overviews. Available guides include diabetes, hypertension and pulmonary disease. Additional installments will cover coronary artery disease and more.

“Demonstrating a working knowledge of disease states can help a rep make a consultative sales call that is more productive for the rep and valuable for the physician,” said Noel. “This knowledge can set a rep apart by establishing credibility up front.”



A comprehensive approach

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) estimates that improved care for Medicare patients with chronic diseases could prevent about 1.7 million hospitalizations and save Medicare billions of dollars in just one year. The figures were cited as part of CMS’ 2004 launch of a new chronic disease monitoring project.

Since then, the federal government and healthcare providers nationwide have initiated a variety of programs aimed at mitigating the medical and economic impact of certain chronic illnesses.

“We’re going to see a lot of growth in terms of disease management systems,” says Dr. Satcher.

Solution-oriented distributors can help their customers navigate this emerging avenue for improved practice management and patient care. Establishing a comprehensive strategy that pairs your medical-surgical product expertise with fundamental disease state knowledge is key.

When calling on an account, use a sales approach that unites the business side of a physician office with its clinical operations to create a win for both doctor and distributor.

Reps who build up their disease state management background are better prepared to identify product solutions that may generate long-term cost savings for providers. Incorporating a practice’s operational considerations with its clinical concerns can also help sales reps better anticipate customer needs.

With some targeted information and just a few changes to your approach, you may find that the benefits associated with a working knowledge of top disease states are limitless.



To learn more about disease management or to download HIDA’s Disease State Guides, visit www.HIDA.org.