Percentage of Working Age People with Diabetes Higher in Alabama Than
Compared To Rest of Nation
Female Patients in Alabama also Higher Than National Average
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Employers Coalition for
Healthcare Options (ECHO) announced today the release of a new report on
the prevalence, costs and quality of care for people with Type 2 diabetes.
The inaugural Alabama Type 2 Diabetes Report for 2007 presents an overview
of patient demographics, hospital and professional charges, utilization of
clinical services and drug therapy for people with Type 2 Diabetes in
Birmingham, Huntsville, Florence and Mobile. The report also provides state
and national benchmarks that can help employers and providers better
identify opportunities to serve the needs of people with Type 2 diabetes.
"ECHO developed the Alabama Type 2 Diabetes Report to serve as a useful
resource for employers in their efforts to provide work-site wellness and
care management programs to help employees manage chronic conditions like
diabetes more effectively," said Karen Hill, President/CEO of ECHO.
Percentage of people diagnosed with Type II diabetes is much higher
among Alabama's working age adults
Working adults between the age of 18-64 in 2006 comprised more than
60.4 percent of diagnosed diabetic patients in Alabama, compared to the
nation, which had 54.2 percent of diabetic patients. This represents a
higher level of diabetes in the state by 6.2 percent.
In addition, Alabama has a higher level of female patients than the
national average with 62.5 percent versus 54.9 percent for the female
population of the rest of the nation.
Birmingham, Florence & Mobile lead the state in complications,
outpacing the state and the nation, while Huntsville has lower complication
rates. Patients with multiple comorbidities (patients at higher risk are
more costly) far exceed the national average, with Mobile the highest.
Quality of care shows positives
Alabama diabetes patients exceed the national average for eye
examinations.
The quality of care indicators for patients with Type 2 diabetes, a
major concern, pointed to positive signs for employers who want to ensure
that their employees receive appropriate care. In addition to demographic
and cost information, the Alabama Type 2 Diabetes Report shows the
percentage of people with diabetes receiving recommended services, such as
for glucose, Hemoglobin A1C and cholesterol blood tests, as well as eye
exams and urine tests for glucose. The percentages for these care
indicators are higher in some areas for the state and lower in other areas
compared to the national averages. For example, people with Type 2 diabetes
in Alabama who received a Hemoglobin A1C test (a key marker for managing
diabetes) in 2006 was 75.1 percent compared to the national average of 73.9
percent. Of people with diabetes, 85.1 percent received the blood glucose
test in Alabama compared to the national average of 86.5 percent.
ECHO believes that the Alabama Type 2 Diabetes Report for 2007 will
help providers and employers continue to support efforts to manage the
increasing prevalence, costs and quality of care provided to people with
Type 2 diabetes. "ECHO is committed to improving the health and wellness of
our member employees. This report provides benchmark information that
enhances our ability to analyze our experience. It can also be used for
developing and supporting multi-stakeholder efforts to support people with
diabetes across the state," said Karen Hill, President/CEO, ECHO.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 17 million
Americans have diabetes, with an average of 1 million new cases being
diagnosed each year in people over the age of 20. Nine out of ten of these
patients have the Type 2 variety. The cost of diabetes in the US was
approximately $132 billion in 2002, with $92 billion spent on medical
services. The economic loss to the US economy due to higher rates of lost
work time, disability and premature mortality associated with diabetes in
the working population was approximately $40 billion in 2002.
About the Alabama Type 2 Diabetes Report for 2007
The Alabama Type 2 Diabetes Report for 2007 helps ECHO fulfill its
commitment to its employer members and community health partners to promote
and maintain a high quality, efficient and affordable health care delivery
system. The report was produced with assistance from sanofi-aventis. The
complete report will be available in electronic format on ECHO's website at
http://www.echoal.com and may be downloaded free of charge.
About Employers Coalition for Healthcare Options:
ECHO is an organization of purchasers dedicated to promoting
affordable, high-quality medical care. We are committed to reforming the
healthcare delivery system in Alabama to reward both high-quality clinical
outcomes and efficiency.
ECHO is an Alabama non-profit organization that was formed over 25
years ago in North Alabama by a small group of business leaders. Originally
this employer forum shared information about the costs and quality of local
healthcare benefits and services. Today, ECHO has grown and transformed
into a proactive coalition that represents employers throughout Alabama,
providing the voice for Alabama employers on healthcare issues.
ECHO is an employer driven organization, lead by purchasers of
healthcare benefits for employees. Our members also include providers of
healthcare benefits. We believe that working collaboratively with all
players involved in the healthcare industry provides the best solutions for
improving healthcare quality and cost.
ECHO's Goals
-- Research and implement group purchasing alternatives
-- Provide healthcare education and information to employers
-- Monitor and provide federal, state and local health policy
information
-- Promote a healthy and productive Alabama workforce
Contact: Karen Hill, 555 Sparkman Drive, Suite 800 Huntsville AL 35816
(256) 382-2779
SOURCE Employers Coalition for Healthcare Options
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Related links:
http://www.sanofi-aventis.us
http://www.sanofi-aventis.com http://www.echoal.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/232375.html /
CONTACT:
Karen Hill for the Employers Coalition for
Healthcare Options, +1-256-382-2779
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