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KP-CMI's integrated diabetes care management is topic at South African health policy conference; case studies published
(January 23, 2002) - Because of its unique
evidence-based approach to diabetes care management, Kaiser
Permanente's Care Management Institute (KP-CMI) was one of
six international case studies featured at a South African
conference that focused on the role medical research plays
in developing health policy.
Kaiser Permanente's success in translating medical research
findings into concrete health policies that benefit its members
led to the invitation, according to Robert Crane, senior vice
president and director of Kaiser Permanente's Institute for
Health Policy.
The conference and the publication of the case studies presented
there were sponsored by the New York-based Milbank Memorial
Fund, which supports research and communication on significant
U.S. health policy issues, and the Cochrane Collaboration,
an international organization dedicated to the synthesis of
medical knowledge.
KP-CMI is a unique, pioneering institution with a mandate
to drive, fund, and catalyze care management activities throughout
Kaiser Permanente's nonprofit HMO. In order to create, implement,
and evaluate effective care management programs, KP-CMI combines
the latest medical knowledge about successful clinical approaches,
population-based outcomes measurement, and advanced practice
tools.
Case study: a strategy of "making the
right thing easier"
Kaiser Permanente representatives - Crane, William
Caplan, MD, KP-CMI Director of Clinical Development, and Matthew
Stiefel, KP-CMI Associate Executive Director -- delivered
the case study describing in detail how a strategy of "making
the right thing easier to do" in adult diabetes care
has produced significant improvements in clinical processes
and outcomes for Kaiser Permanente members.
The study focused on KP-CMI's efforts to synthesize evidence-based
knowledge about the best clinical practices for adult diabetes
to create its integrated care management program.
Kaiser Permanente was selected as a participant, Crane said,
because of its unique integrated structure that allows Kaiser
Permanente research, and that of others, to be translated
into concrete care guidelines that benefit its own members.
"Historically, it's been difficult for researchers in
the United States to have their research findings converted
into good health policy," he said. "A lot of policy
is made by anecdote in this country."
But it was clear from the other conference participants that
things are often worse in other countries, Dr. Caplan noted.
"The theme from the other case studies was that discussions
of health policy in these countries were often adversarial
between governments, physicians, and pharmaceutical manufacturers,"
he said. "I think the major issue was that there hasn't
been a foundation of trust established among all these groups."
Similarity in issues facing six countries
The conference attracted medical researchers
and health policy experts from Australia, Canada, Norway,
the United Kingdom, and South Africa in addition to Kaiser
Permanente as the sole U.S. representative.
Stiefel said he found a surprising amount of similarity in
the issues that the six participating countries face in implementing
effective health policy based on good clinical research. "One
of the overarching lessons was that when researchers and policy
makers have good communications and relationships, it really
helps the policy makers reach better judgments for which they're
responsible," he said.
Crane said the South African meeting also gave Kaiser Permanente
representatives insights on how other countries are dealing
with new health policy issues, such as how to select drugs
for formularies on the basis of their cost-effectiveness,
not just their cost.
For a copy of the Milbank publication with all six case studies,
click on this link: http://www.milbank.org/2001cochrane/010903cochrane.html.
In addition to Dr. Caplan, Crane and Stiefel, the Kaiser Permanente
case study authors were Kendra Rothert, KP-CMI Program Evaluation
Consultant; and Helen Pettay, KP-CMI Director of Communications.
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