Use of an electronic medical record in disease management programs: a case study in hyperlipidemia

Disease management programs seek to improve the health of a population of patients with a disease through a multidisciplinary approach founded in the collection, analysis and feedback of disease-specific outcomes. Currently, the majority of disease management programs have been conducted by insurers or external vendors. Limitations of these programs derive from separation of care from primary care and the inability to rapidly and accurately obtain the necessary clinical data. The utility offered by an electronic medical record allows physician organizations to conduct disease management programs of higher quality at lower cost.