BL Healthcare - Chronic Disease Management Packages

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
CHF is a disorder where the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently. This dysfunction impairs the provision of sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the body's muscles and organs. While there are many causes of CHF, the two most frequent are hypertension and coronary artery disease. For many people, CHF is a progressive disease that eventually leads to death. Over five million people are estimated to have CHF in the United States. It is the only major cardiovascular disorder that is increasing in incidence and prevalence.
CHF patients are classified into four categories based on the degree of the disease. People with class III and IV CHF experience significant health effects and are typical candidates for the BL Healthcare monitoring system. Patients in these two classes represent 25% of all CHF patients. This means the total number of patients in the United States who would be suitable for remote CHF monitoring with a BL Healthcare approach is about 1.25 million, with a net annual increase of approximately 40,000. Approximately half of these are over 65.
In addition to afflicting a significant number of Americans, CHF is also the most expensive medical illness in the United States. The American Heart Association estimates that $24.3 billion is spent on health care for CHF patients each year, representing about 1.7% of total health care expenditures. Of this, almost $10 billion is related to hospitalizations alone. The large portion of patients with serious disease and the significant opportunity to both improve the health of these patients while lowering the cost of care, make CHF an attractive area in which to develop home health management solutions. Continuous vital sign monitoring, rich education videos, periodic video consultation with nurses, doctors and care givers to keep the symptoms under control and avoid hospitalization.

Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body fails to produce or properly use insulin and therefore cannot adequately break down sugars and starches needed for life. Over 11 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, with an estimated 6 million more still undiagnosed. Over 20% of persons 65 years of age and over have diabetes. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for over 200,000 deaths per year.
Diabetes has a significant societal and economic impact as well. The National Diabetes Information Clearing House estimates the direct medical costs total about $92 billion per year, while the indirect costs (loss of work days, etc.) total about $40 billion. Uncontrolled diabetes often exacts a devastating toll over time: high blood pressure, blindness, end-stage kidney disease, peripheral circulatory problems, and heart disease are all common complications. The high rate of complications or comorbidities with this disease, combined with the patient's need for constant monitoring of glucose levels, provides an opportunity for technology to improve the lifestyle of these diabetics.
It may be conservatively estimated that approximately 15% of the diabetic population, almost 1.8 million people, are suitable candidates for BL Healthcare technology. Simple interface that uses television and a wireless remote control that provides basic care to elderly.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
COPD is characterized by airflow obstruction with breathing-related symptoms such as chronic cough, exertional dyspnea, expectoration, and wheeze. Although COPD is a nonspecific term referring to a set of conditions that develop progressively as a result of a number of different disease processes, it most commonly refers to chronic bronchitis and emphysema and a subset of patients with asthma.
COPD is now the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and it is the only common cause of death that is increasing in incidence. The medical impact of COPD in the U.S. includes over 16.2 million office visits, 1.4 million ER visits, 668,000 hospital discharges, 1.9 million hospital days, and 123,013 deaths in 2001 (National Center for Health Statistics). According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute the annual costs of COPD are above $32 billion, with over $18 billion due to medical costs, and the other $14 billion from other indirect costs. It is estimated that about 15.3 million Americans live with COPD, with about 20% being people with emphysema. Of this total, approximately 3.8 million have severe enough disease to benefit from more intensive medical monitoring and management.

Asthma
Asthma has grown to epidemic proportions over the last 15 years. Over 30 million Americans living today have lived with asthma at some time in their lives, and 22 million are currently diagnosed with asthma, with 6.6 million of these under 18. The disease disproportionately affects children, minorities and those in poverty. It is the most common chronic disease in those under 18. If it continues to grow at present rates, it will affect 14% of the population by 2020. Nearly 500,000 hospitalizations and 9.5 million physician office visits were attributable to asthma in 1999, while 45-50 million asthma exacerbations were treated in emergency rooms and clinics.
Asthma is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In 1999, asthma was the cause of death in nearly 5,000 Americans. Asthma entails an annual economic cost to the nation in direct health care costs of $9.4 billion; indirect costs (lost productivity) add another $4.6 billion for a total of $14.0 billion. Inpatient hospital services represented the largest single direct medical expenditure, over $4 billion. The value of reduced productivity due to loss of school days represented the largest single indirect cost at $1.4 billion. Among this population, 5% (over a million people) experience severe symptoms or unstable disease that exacts a large human toll, requires significant medical expenditures, and would easily benefit from enhanced monitoring and management.