Reducing medical costs and improving quality via self-management tools
2007

Self-Management Tools for Chronic Illness

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Harold J. DeMonaco, Eric von Hippel

Primary Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital

Hypothesis

Can self-management tools reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of care for chronic illnesses?

Conclusion

Self-management tools can lead to better health outcomes and lower costs compared to traditional care models.

Supporting Evidence

  • Self-management can lead to higher quality outcomes at lower costs.
  • Patients with type 1 diabetes benefit from self-management toolkits.
  • Home monitoring improves adherence to medication in hypertension.

Takeaway

This study shows that when patients manage their own health with the right tools, they can get better care and save money.

Limitations

Self-management tools require clear feedback mechanisms and may not be suitable for all patients.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pmed.0040104

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