An estimated 18,000 Hawaii Medical Service Association members with heart conditions will receive expanded services under a Cardiac Care Connection program similar to HMSA's Diabetes Care Connection program. HMSA expands programs
to serve its heart patientsStar-Bulletin staff
HMSA is offering the new program at no cost under an agreement with American Healthways Inc., a nationwide disease management company.
Nurses, health educators and other clinical personnel will provide education, intervention and support services to patients needing help in managing heart disease.
Program operations will be based in Kapolei, with additional staff on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.
American Healthways Inc. already provides services to nearly 40,000 HMSA patients through Diabetes Care Connection.
Dr. Richard S. Chung, HMSA vice president and medical director, said heart disease "touches too many families throughout Hawaii.
"HMSA's Cardiac Care Connection program will allow us to fully support the physicians who care for our members with heart conditions and greatly increase the total number of proactive interventions with those patients."
Chung expects the program to result in a better quality of life for patients, more coordinated cardiac care services and long-term health care cost savings.
Cliff Cisco, HMSA senior vice president, said the program will use provider support managers to work directly with HMSA physicians and staff members to help identify and overcome barriers to effective patient care.
"These managers will also provide physicians with timely data so they can more easily monitor the progress of their patients," he said.
The new cardiac program is available to HMSA members in these HMSA health plans: Preferred Provider Plan, Health Plan Hawaii, Health Plan Hawaii Classic, 65C Plus and QUEST.
Thomas G. Cigarran, chairman and chief executive officer of American Healthways Inc., said, "We are extremely pleased with this expansion of our relationship with HMSA and the opportunity to be part of HMSA's ongoing effort to improve the health of its members with cardiac disease."
He said he looks forward to the cardiac program becoming as successful as the diabetes program has been to improve patient health.
American Healthways, based in Nashville, Tenn., is the nation's leading provider of comprehensive disease management services to physicians, health plans and hospitals.
It provides diabetes, cardiac and respiratory disease and care management programs to health plans in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
It also operates diabetes management programs in hospitals nationwide.
HMSA, the state's largest health care provider, has 630,000 members. It is a member of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.