Review of Strategies to Enhance Outcomes for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Payers' Perspective

Background: Diabetes and its clinical consequences exact a great toll on patients and on society in terms of its effects on morbidity and mortality and its staggering economic impact.

Objective: To review various programs and strategies that aim at enhancing adherence to antihyperglycemic therapy and suggest the best approach to improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

Discussion: Treatment goals for patients with diabetes have been defined, and multiple safe and effective medications are available. Nevertheless, the majority of patients with diabetes fail to achieve treatment goals, because of difficulty with adherence to medication regimens and lifestyle modifications, and because of economic barriers. This article discusses various initiatives developed to improve patient outcomes, including consumer-driven health plans and wellness and prevention programs. Furthermore, economic incentives to patients, such as value-based insurance design, may increase adherence; nevertheless, evidence suggests that such programs alone provide only modest gains. Primary providers in disease management programs can include nurses, case managers, or pharmacists. Supportive interventions across several modalities have been shown to be effective.

Conclusion: An approach that uses a combination of strategies designed to impact patients' health-related behaviors across a variety of modalities may help to improve outcomes and reduce costs. Additional novel, innovative interdisciplinary initiatives are necessary to effect meaningful change that can facilitate improved health outcomes for patients with diabetes and maximize cost-effectiveness approaches for payers.