Definitions for "Disease management"
a continuous, coordinated health care process that seeks to manage and improve the health status of a carefully defined patient population over the entire course of a disease. The patient populations targeted are high-risk, high-cost patients with chronic conditions that depend on appropriate pharmaceutical care for proper maintenance. Disease management services include disease prevention efforts as well as patient management once the disease states have developed.
A philosophy toward the treatment of the patient with an illness (usually chronic in nature) that seeks to prevent recurrence of symptoms, maintain high quality of life, and prevent future need for medical resources by using an integrated, comprehensive approach to health care. Pharmaceutical care, continuous quality improvement, practice guidelines and case management all play key roles in this effort, which (in theory) will result in decreased health care costs as well.
The integrated monitoring of a patient, particularly with a chronic illness, to focus on prevention of recurrence, improved quality of life, and cost-effective care. Also refers to the systematic study of a diagnosis or intervention to focus on the outcomes for a population, rather then an individual patient.