Seven-year collaboration sets health care standards
for growing dementia population
CHICAGO (Feb. 12, 2003) - The managed
care industry's first program designed specifically to address
the special needs of those with Alzheimer's disease and
other dementias was introduced today by Kaiser Permanente,
the nation's largest non-profit health maintenance organization.
Richard Della Penna, M.D., director of Kaiser Permanente's
Aging Network, presented the results of a multi-year collaboration
with the Alzheimer's Association at its national board meeting
last week. According to both organizations, the collaboration
sets a standard for cooperation between managed care plans
and patient advocates to improve care.
"The Kaiser Permanente dementia care program is a 21st
century model for the nation's health care system," said
Sheldon Goldberg, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association.
"This exhaustive collaboration underscores the growing realization
within the field that we face an epidemic that will require
an unprecedented marshalling of combined resources. The
Alzheimer's Association is committed to leading that charge."
The collaboration is the result of both Kaiser Permanente
and the Alzheimer's Association recognizing that most people
with Alzheimer's and other dementias are not receiving appropriate
care, from proper diagnosis and treatment, to information
about their condition and referrals to vital community services.
The new program provides recommendations to primary care
providers, nurses and social workers on the proper screening,
diagnosis, treatment and management of dementia patients.
It also recommends ways to support families.
The program includes evidence-based guidelines, as well
as a model of care, practical tools and other resources.
The program was developed by Kaiser Permanente's Care Management
Institute (KP-CMI), which is sharing this and other programs
it has developed with community organizations as part of
its social mission.
"As a non-profit health care system, Kaiser Permanente
is committed to improving the health care of the communities
we serve," says Paul Wallace, M.D., KP-CMI Executive Director.
"More broadly, Kaiser Permanente's mission and history reflect
our desire to advance the science of medicine and to improve
health care quality nationally and internationally. KP-CMI's
work, grounded in evidence-based medicine and leveraging
the intellectual capital and experience of the Permanente
Medical Groups and the Health Plan/Hospitals, can further
the organization's mission and values when shared with the
community at large."
"The Alzheimer's Association recommends that all health
care systems and medical and social service professionals
review the KP-CMI Dementia Care Program and adopt the recommendations
to ensure that those caring for individuals with Alzheimer's
and other dementias understand their special health needs
and are able to improve standards related to their care,"
Goldberg said.
Kaiser Permanente serves more than 880,000 adults over
age 65 (68,000 of those are over age 85) and estimates the
number of members with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias
who will benefit from this program could be as high as 85,000.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are currently
4 million Americans with Alzheimer's disease and another
19 million family members affected by its devastation. Aging
baby boomers could increase that number to more than 14
million by mid-century.
"There is a tremendous need for those of us in medicine
to partner with people in the community to address the needs
of this vulnerable population suffering from Alzheimer's
and other dementias," says Dr. Della Penna of the KP Aging
Network (KPAN). Dr. Della Penna helped direct the development
of the dementia care program. KPAN is the central source
within Kaiser Permanente for informing elder care/Medicare
strategy.
Over the past seven years, Alzheimer's Association chapters
around the nation worked with Kaiser Permanente to improve
the care that the integrated health care system provides
to its enrollees with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Association chapters in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Denver,
Hawaii, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco,
Albany and Washington D.C. participated in studies that
included evaluating medical care and identifying community
support services. The end product provides health care professionals
with the care information necessary to improve the state
of Alzheimer and dementia care for millions.
The KP-CMI program contains guidelines and recommendations
on how dementia care should be provided to Kaiser enrollees.
The new program is an informational resource only and is
not a substitute for clinical judgment based on the individual
needs of patients.
The program includes:
Kaiser Permanente is America's leading integrated health
care organization. Founded in 1945, it is a non-profit,
group-practice prepayment program with headquarters in Oakland,
California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs
of 8.4 million members in nine states and the District of
Columbia. Kaiser Permanente's Care Management Institute
drives, funds and catalyzes evidence-based disease management
activities throughout Kaiser Permanente. Nationwide, Kaiser
Permanente includes approximately 127,000 technical, administrative
and clerical employees and about 11,000 physicians representing
all specialties.
The Alzheimer's Association is the premier source of information
and support for the 4 million Americans with Alzheimer's
disease. Through its national network of chapters, the association
offers a broad range of programs and services for people
with the disease, their families and caregivers and represents
their interests on Alzheimer-related issues before federal,
state and local government and with health and long-term
care providers. The largest private funder of Alzheimer
research in the United States, the association has committed
$136 million toward research into the disease.
