Diabetes Program

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body does not produce insulin or is unable to use insulin. 20.8 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes; over 6 million of them have not yet been diagnosed. Diabetes accounts for one out of every 10 health care dollars spent in this country, or $132 Billion in annual cost. Diabetes is also associated with an increased risk of serious life-limiting complications.

ForeSee Health’s Diabetes program is a tested approach to prevent complications and hospitalizations associated with diabetes and reduce overall healthcare expenditures and lost work time. Designed and monitored by physician leaders in the field of diabetes management, this program focuses not only on the acutely ill, but also on those with mild forms of diabetes.

Active prevention of acute events through the focus on cardiac risk provides near-term savings. Intermediate savings are generated by comprehensive participant education and RN Care Manager support, as well as regular testing and monitoring. Longer term medical cost savings and the prevention of significant lost work time and possible disability events are derived from extensive preventive interventions, including weight management, smoking cessation, dilated eye exams, foot checks, and cholesterol screenings.

ForeSee Health’s program focuses on teaching self-management skills and empowers the participant with education and individualized interventions to assure adherence to a care plan and promotes lifestyle modifications to decrease the risk of developing expensive and debilitating complications. Areas that are emphasized include the following: 

• Understanding your blood pressure

• Getting Lipids under control

• Being in charge of your blood sugar levels

• Saving your sight: preventing retinal complications

• Understanding why action now is important: small steps to feeling better and taking charge

• Physical activity vs. exercise: How to incorporate into to your daily routine

• Eating well to stay well and how to manage your weight for the rest of your life.

• How to talk to your doctor about your diabetes

• Understanding your medications

• How to keep your feet healthy when you have diabetes

• Smoking cessation

• Dealing with feelings (stress/depression/anger) that come with having diabetes

ForeSee Health has selected the following guidelines as the basis for developing measurements, risk stratifications, disease/care management strategies, and patient/provider interventions:

• American Diabetes Association (ADA) Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes — 2008

• American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Medical Guidelines for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus Self-Management — 2007

• AHA/ACC Guidelines for Secondary Prevention for Patients With Coronary and Other Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: 2006 Update: Endorsed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute  

• ACC/AHA 2005 Practice Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease  

All diabetes educational materials, including newsletters and educational “tip sheets”, are developed and continually assessed for compliance with these guidelines.