Disease management is a system of coordinated heath care interventions and communications for defined patient populations with conditions where self-care efforts can be implemented. Disease management empowers individuals, working with other health care providers to manage their disease and prevent complications.

Disease management programs (DMPs) are structured treatment plans that aim to help people better manage their chronic disease and to maintain and improve quality of life. DMPs are also run with the general goal of improving medical treatment in the long term. They are also called “structured treatment programs.”The goal of disease management is to identify persons at risk for one or more chronic conditions, to promote self-management by patients and to address the illnesses or conditions with maximum clinical outcome, effectiveness and efficiency regardless of treatment setting(s) or typical reimbursement patterns.

Chronic Disease Management. An integrated care approach to managing illness which includes screenings, check-ups, monitoring and coordinating treatment, and patient education.Case management targets high-risk patients--those who, because of diverse combinations of health, social and functional problems, are likely to need hospitalization. Disease management targets patients who have one major diagnosis and who, because of their major diagnosis, have a relatively standard set of needs.