The Disease Incidence Model™ was developed by Strategic Health Resources® in conjunction with Milliman & Robertson, Inc., an international actuarial firm. The Model predicts the incidence and costs of diseases within a specific population and identifies the most common and most costly diseases in a population. "The model also shows whether high costs for a disease are likely to come from costly individual cases or from simply having a lot more of this disease than you would normally expect," said Nancy Reaven, founder of Strategic Health Resources™. "This is precisely what medical directors need to know in making decisions about resource allocation, disease management and case management programs."

The Disease Incidence Model™ uses simple demographics as the basis of its predictions. This means it can be used for planning or bidding for new populations, or in situations where accurate data is not available. "Most medical cost data comes from claims, and is organized by the location of patient care, not based on a patient's diagnosis, " explained Funk.

"Health Plans and employers often don't know which illnesses are driving their medical costs. Even medical groups frequently lack this information, or can't get access to the data easily enough to use it."

The Disease Incidence Model™ also provides information to help employers make health plans more accountable. "Managed care plans may offer exciting-sounding programs," said Funk, "but what an employer needs to know is how well the plan can serve the unique needs of the company's employees and families. The Disease Incidence™ Model offers employers a quick, economical way to identify their most pressing health needs."

Disease Management Presentation at URAC National Quality Summit. On March 31, 2000, Susan E. Funk, President of the Kailos group, was a speaker at the URAC National Conference: A Quality Summit. Her presentation was entitled "Innovations in Technology for Disease Management Programs: The Power of Information in Identifying and Managing Disease."

(Copies are available on request to: susan.funk@kailos.com.)

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