Method of incentivising members of a disease management programme to comply with theprogramme

• US 20020055859A1
• Filed: 06/07/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitality Group International, Inc. (Discovery Limited)
• Original Assignee: Discovery Holdings Limited (Prudential PLC)
• Inventors: Manson, Lori, Goodman, Maurice Ronan, Nossel, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

A method of incentivising members of a disease management program to comply with the program by splitting the program into general program areas and specific program areas. The general program areas are relevant to all of the diseases with which members of the program are stricken while the specific program areas are only relevant to some disease managed by the program. Members of the program are awarded points for taking part in and achieving certain levels within all of the general program areas and within the specific program areas associated with the disease with which they are stricken. The points are accumulated and members are rewarded if their points reach a predetermined level. Furthermore, bonus points are awarded to the members for achieving certain levels in all of the program areas associated with their disease.

Claims

1. A method of incentivising members of a disease management programme to comply with the programme, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of general programme areas and a plurality of specific programme areas;

associating each of the plurality of general programme areas with each of the diseases managed by the programme;

associating each of the plurality of specific programme areas only with those diseases managed by the programme to which the specific programme area is determined to be of particular benefit to a member afflicted with the disease;

awarding points to a member for each of the programme areas in which the member participates, only if the member is afflicted with a disease which is associated with that particular programme area; and

allocating a reward to the member if the points awarded to the member accumulate to a predetermined amount.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein points are only awarded to the member if the member participates in all of the programme areas which are associated with the disease or diseases with which the member is afflicted.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein additional points are awarded to the member if the member participates in all of the programme areas which are associated with the disease or diseases with which the member is afflicted.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the general programme areas are one or more of diet, exercise, smoking and education.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the specific programme areas are one or more of blood pressure, flow volume loop measurement, influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, cholesterol and long term glucose control.

6. A method according claim 1 further including the steps of:

defining a measurable within at least one of the general or specific programme areas so that a members performance within said programme area can be ascertained;

defining a minimum level of the measurable, which minimum level indicates a minimum required level of member performance within the at least one programme area; and

awarding points to a member if the member obtains the defined minimum level of a measurable for the at least one programme area only if the member is afflicted with a disease which is associated with that particular programme area.

7. A method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of awarding additional points to the member if the member obtains the minimum level of a measurable for all of the programme areas which are associated with the disease with which the member is afflicted.

8. A method of incentivising members of a disease management programme to comply with the programme, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of general programme areas and a plurality of specific programme areas;

associating each of the plurality of general programme areas with each of the diseases managed by the programme;

associating each of the plurality of specific programme areas only with those diseases managed by the programme to which the specific programme area is determined to be of particular benefit to a member afflicted with the disease;

defining a measurable within each of the general and specific programme areas so that a member'"'"'s performance within said programme area can be ascertained;

defining a minimum level for each measurable, which minimum level indicates a minimum required level of member performance within each of the programme areas;

awarding points to a member if the member obtains the minimum level of a measurable for a particular programme area only if the member is afflicted with a disease which is associated with that particular programme area; and

allocating a reward to the member if the points awarded to the member accumulate to a predetermined amount.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein, additional points are awarded to the member if they obtain the minimum level of a measurable for all of the programme areas which are associated with the disease with which the member is afflicted.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the general programme areas are one or more of diet, exercise, smoking and education.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the specific programme areas are one or more of blood pressure, flow volume, loop measurement, influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, cholesterol and long term glucose control.

12. A method of incentivising members of a disease management programme to comply with the programme, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of general programme areas and a plurality of specific programme areas;

associating each of the plurality of general programme areas with each of the diseases managed by the programme;

associating each of the plurality of specific programme areas only with those diseases managed by the programme to which the specific programme area is determined to be of particular benefit to a member who is predisposed to being afflicted with the disease;

awarding points to a member for each of the programme areas in which the member participates, only if the member is predisposed to being afflicted with a disease which is associated with that particular programme area; and

allocating a reward to the member if the points awarded to the member accumulate to a predetermined amount.

13. A method of incentivising members of a disease management programme to comply with the programme, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of general programme areas and a plurality of specific programme areas;

associating each of the plurality of general programme areas with each of the diseases managed by the programme;

associating each of the plurality of specific programme areas only with those diseases managed by the programme to which the specific programme area is determined to be of particular benefit to a member who is predisposed to being afflicted with the disease;

defining a measurable within each of the general and specific programme areas so that a member'"'"'s performance within said programme area can be ascertained;

defining a minimum level for each measurable, which minimum level indicates a minimum required level of member performance within each of the programme areas;

awarding points to a member if the member obtains the minimum level of a measurable for a particular programme area only if the member is predisposed to being afflicted with a disease which is associated with that particular programme area; and

allocating a reward to the member if the points awarded to the member accumulate to a predetermined amount.