Posts Tagged ‘chronic diseases’
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
The prestigious Cleveland Clinic has taken a proactive stance on preventative healthcare by creating a Chief Wellness Officer position and putting Dr. Michael Roizen in the job. Dr. Roizen is well known for his appearances on the “Oprah” show and as the co-author of health and lifestyle books with Dr. Mehmet Oz. His impressive resume lists the position as the past chair of the Food and Drug Administration’s advisory committee.
Dr. Roizen has taken on the cause of preventive wellness through the Cleveland Clinic’s Lifestyle 180 program. Lifestyle 180 provides patients with chronic diseases with a proactive approach to improving their health. Patients are closely monitored and coached to improve their health and well-being through diet, exercise and stress management. Interestingly, the program has a dedicated space in an old corporate headquarters building in Lyndhurst, OH.
By all indications, Lifestyle 180 appears to be an excellent approach to educating patients so they can attain improved health. This raises a question. Once patients complete the program, where do they go to maintain and continue to put into action the valuable information and lifestyle tools they have received? Although patients are encouraged to come in for follow-up appointments – which are important – where do they go?
This is exactly where a medically based wellness and fitness center fills this void. Patients need a comfortable, unintimidating medically directed facility that provides them with the information, tools and resources they need to continue their journey to improved health.
We all could use a chief wellness officer to pave the way to improved health, no question. We also need a medically directed facility to put into action and maintain the life lessons that we have learned. Kudos to the Cleveland Clinic for recognizing the need to improve health through comprehensive wellness strategies. Now, let’s take it a step further and apply this proactive strategy to a comprehensive medically directed wellness and fitness center so we can live this healthy lifestyle forever.
Tags: chronic diseases, Cleveland Clinic, diet, exercise, fitness center, Healthcare, Lifestyle 180, patient, preventive wellness, stress management, wellness center
Posted in General, Healthcare, Healthcare Village, Wellness Centers | No Comments »
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
Healthcare providers will slash up to $1.7 trillion in costs over the next 10 years by enhancing the care of chronic diseases, reorganizing administrative procedures and eliminating unnecessary treatments.
This is a sneak peak at how healthcare systems, physicians, pharmaceutical companies, insurers, medical device manufacturers and other stakeholders plan to respond to President Barack Obama’s request that the industry find ways to control patient costs. Among the American Medical Association’s (AMA) suggestions are cutting overused – and often unnecessary — procedures, such as Caesarean sections. The savings are crucial to funding the Obama administration’s proposed health system overhaul.
A new White House study states that reforming healthcare will increase the nation’s GDP by two percent in 2020 and eight percent in 2030, cut unemployment and save families an average of $2,600 a year by 2020. Without healthcare reform, the number of uninsured Americans will rise to 72 million by 2040, compared with 46 million today.
Christina Romer, chair of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, said “The one thing that’s happened relative to the 1990s is the nightmare scenario is getting closer.” Other recommendations include reducing medical errors, using common insurance forms, improving physician performance standards, readmitting fewer patients to hospitals, improving drug development efficiency and expanding in-home care for patients with long-term illnesses.
Tags: AMA, American Medical Association, Caesarean section, Christina Romer, chronic diseases, Economic Advisers, GDP, healthcare industry, healthcare providers, healthcare reform, Healthcare systems, hospitals, in-home care, insurers, long-term illness, medical device manufacturers, patient costs, patients, pharmaceutical companies, physicians, President Barack Obama, reforming healthcare, treatment, uninsured Americans, White House
Posted in Economics, Healthcare, Hospital Systems | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Now is the time for healthcare providers to take a proactive approach to the well-being of their respective communities and target markets. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law by President Obama on February 17, contains $1 billion for the new Prevention and Wellness Fund. This Fund will make available resources for funding immunization programs; infection prevention programs; and the prevention of 
chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Based on statistics provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 70 million people in the United States (approximately 25 percent of our total population) live with cardiovascular disease. Wellness programs have a direct impact on the prevention of these diseases and will be an important components of any preventative program.
Healthcare providers have historically been hesitant to invest in wellness and fitness centers due to the capital resource requirement and uncertain return on investment. With careful planning and strategic development, these facilities can bring a substantial new revenue stream into the organization. Skeptics may point to the Medical Fitness Association, which reports that in 2008 there were approximately 950 medically based wellness and fitness centers in the United States, with one-third reporting operating losses.
While such risks do exist, investing in wellness facilities and programs that directly address the prevention of chronic disease have the potential for more than satisfactory financial results. If managed with a clear direction, thought and competence, these facilities can provide a financial return far more attractive than the equities market has offered in the recent past. The resources allocated to fight chronic disease will come back tenfold in cost reductions over the long term.
Now is the time to invest in the well-being of our future. We should not wait for another opportunity like the one Congress and President Obama have provided. We need to take advantage of this now.
Tags: American Recovery and Reinvestment, ARRA, capital, cardiovascular disease, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases, Congress, diabetes, equities market, financial return, fitness centers, Healthcare, healthcare providers, heart disease, high blood pressure, immunization programs, infection prevention programs, law, Medical Fitness Association, President Obama, prevention, prevention program, revenue, strategic development, target markets, United States, US, wellness programs
Posted in Healthcare, Healthcare Village, Wellness Centers | No Comments »
Friday, April 17th, 2009
With 78 million baby boomers marching towards retirement, the U.S. population is older and less healthy as cases of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases increase, says Donna F. Jarmusz, Alter+Care Senior Vice President, in a recent interview for the Inspire blog. These same consumers dislike inconvenient, institutional healthcare delivery systems, are demanding and have high expectations. We have a drive-through mindset and enjoy everyday consumer experiences– buying a cup of coffee, drive-up banking, picking up dry cleaning. We hardly think about them because they’re all convenient and accessible.
Consumers are looking for a similar consumer focus in their healthcare services. They are also looking to healthcare providers for preventative health resources to achieve healthier lifestyles.
(more…)
Donna Jarmusz on the Healthcare Village:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Tags: Ambulatory surgery center, ambulatory-care facilities, baby boomers, Cardiac rehab, chronic diseases, consumers, credit, diabetes, diease management, GI centers, Healthcare referrals, Healthcare Village, Hospital capital, hospitals, institutional healthcare, Liability insurance, obesity, Office of the Inspector General, OIG, Oncology, Outpatient services, physicians, Radiology, reimbursements, Retail healthcare, retirement, Revenue-sharing partnerships, wellness center, Wellness Centers
Posted in Healthcare, Healthcare Village, Wellness Centers | 1 Comment »
