Insurers
Challenge
Chronic diseases are a serious global health issue. The World Health Organization attributes nearly 90% of deaths in Canada in 2005 to chronic diseases. Cardiovascular disease was the number one killer, followed closely by cancer.
Indeed, cardiovascular disease kills more Canadians than any other disease. In 2002 it accounted for 34% of all female deaths and 32% of all male deaths in Canada. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia are other leading causes of death that are largely avoidable. And more than two million Canadians suffer from diabetes. Of these people, 90% have type 2 diabetes, and the condition’s prevalence is increasing. According to a 2005 World Health Organization survey, 5% of North Americans die each year from diabetes-related complications and estimate that deaths from diabetes will rise 44% in the next 10 years.1
Health issues are a growing concern for most Canadians. But the good news is that many of these issues are preventable. Studies show that engagement in a health and wellness program can dramatically reduce the risk of acquiring or staving off these conditions.
For health insurers, many of these health concerns are compounded by rapidly escalating claims and the rising costs of medications. It is unclear to many insurers as to how these problems can best be addressed.
This is where the INTERxVENT Canada solution can help.
Solution
INTERxVENT is a scientifically proven program that improves health and wellness and reduces risks over the long term, thereby decreasing the number of health claims and the ongoing costs of medications.
Used by more than 200 corporations, hospitals and government employers for 14 years, INTERxVENT programs have been proven in more than 80 peer-reviewed studies to reduce both direct and indirect healthcare costs while improving health and preventing disease.
INTERxVENT’s participants have been empowered to:
- Improve diet
- Increase physical activity
- Lose weight
- Quit smoking
- Reduce stress
- Improve compliance with medication regimens
Importantly, INTERxVENT is not a quick fix—it’s a long-lasting program driven by proven strategies and the ongoing work of health coaches who are available whenever they’re needed. Participants are provided with a detailed health risk assessment, a personalized action plan, information, tools and mentorship for success. INTERxVENT is a scientifically driven program for the reduction of risk for chronic diseases, including arthritis, diabetes, stroke and heart disease, thus reducing ongoing insurance claims and long-term disability payouts.
Specifically, INTERxVENT programs help manage the risk of chronic disease through lifestyle modification. Studies have shown that more than 60% of people with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, such as high blood pressure and hyperglycemia, can reduce their risk within three months by participating in an INTERxVENT program.
Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the most common chronic conditions and a leading cause of disability in North America. A common consequence of arthritis is that people with the condition tend to engage in lower levels of physical activity, thus increasing their risk of developing other health problems such as cardiovascular disease.
Community-based lifestyle management programs have proven to be an effective strategy for helping people with arthritis correct ongoing health issues. Lifestyle management interventions, which can include exercise training, proper nutrition, weight management, stress management and smoking cessation, are a proven means to raise the standard of health for those with the condition.
Research shows that INTERxVENT programs are equally effective in people with and without arthritis, supporting their use in populations with functional impairments.
Cancer
Research has shown that cancer survivors have poorer long-term health outcomes than those who have never had the disease. Managing and maintaining proper health is thus a high priority for this segment of the population.
Recent studies have shown that lifestyle modification programs, including a cardiovascular disease risk reduction program such as INTERxVENT’s, can make a significant impact on the long-term prospects for cancer survivors. Participants derive substantial health improvements from participating in such programs.
Stroke and transient ischemic attack
Substantial progress has been made in helping people recognize the types of health changes they must make to avoid first or recurrent strokes. Unfortunately, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease still contributes to more than 700,000 strokes in North America each year.
Patients who have suffered a previous stroke or transient ischemic attack, and those with carotid artery disease, are at an elevated risk for a first or recurrent stroke. Studies show, however, that after completing an INTERxVENT health management program (anywhere from 12 weeks to one year), this population shows significant improvements (p < 0.05) for these and other cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Overall, lifestyle modification and managed stroke risk reduction programs such as INTERxVENT’s have proven to be effective at helping individuals reduce their risk of stroke, whether they’re working to avoid a recurrent stroke or their first.
INTERxVENT reduces need for medication, saving on prescription drug claims (especially for commonly prescribed medications).
Ongoing research suggests a tendency among physicians to over-prescribe medication. This trend exists mostly on account of the easy availability of pharmacological alternatives—despite their reported high cost and ongoing dependence—and a healthcare system that isn’t set up to promote lifestyle management. By encouraging healthy lifestyle changes, however, INTERxVENT programs have been shown to help people improve their health using very little medication, and in some cases none.
In a recent study, however, unmedicated patients at risk of cardiovascular disease were put on an INTERxVENT program that included exercise training and nutrition counseling. Patients remained unmedicated throughout the study. After three months they achieved their goals, supporting the importance of lifestyle interventions even without adjunct drug treatment.2
INTERxVENT reduces company health claims
Research shows that employee healthcare claims are dramatically reduced for individuals participating in INTERxVENT programs. Such claims can increase with each passing year, sometimes as much as 66% in just two years. Studies show, however, that when employees participate in an INTERxVENT program, claims can be reduced by a factor of 36% over the same time period. This represents a total difference in claims cost of $2.30 for each $1.00 spent on an INTERxVENT program—a return on investment of 130%.
For more information, and to inquire about INTERxVENT programs, please contact us.
1. “Need for and clinical effectiveness of a neurologist supervised, nurse case managed stroke risk reduction program.” 2001, June-Stroke; “Outcomes of a case-managed home program in a cardiac rehabilitation setting,” Sandra Black, Andrea Stellmach, Louise Morrin, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, ON; “Effectiveness of three models for comprehensive cardiovascular disease risk reduction.” 2002-American Journal of Cardiology; and “Effect of gender on effectiveness of therapeutic lifestyle changes in men and women with prediabetes,” 2007-DMAA Annual Conference.
2. “Getting risk factors to goal: Lifestyle intervention is worth the effort in patients with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and /or hyperglycemia.” 2004-ACC Annual Meeting.