Hypertension and managed care. Based on a presentation by Robert P. Jacobs, MD, MBA

A shift in principles has accompanied the evolution of healthcare delivery from a fee-for-service system to managed care. Managed care organizations have to make decisions on the allocation of healthcare resources that will enhance the care of the entire population. Cost reduction has been a major driver for managed care, but this is increasingly being supplanted by other goals such as increasing the quality of care and the value of health services and providing accountability. As the population ages, management of chronic lifelong illness will pose an increasing challenge. Hypertension is a common chronic illness that, if left untreated, imposes an enormous economic burden on society. These and other aspects of the disease and its management make it eminently suitable for intervention in a managed care setting. Challenges and opportunities exist for disease management initiatives for hypertension in the managed care environment. As health plans enhance their data systems and begin to focus on the long-term benefits of chronic disease management, hypertension will certainly be an early target for intervention and control.