Bupa to help improve veterans and war widows health

Bupa Health Dialog is to have a key role in a groundbreaking Australian Government initiative to help better manage the health of thousands of chronically ill veterans and war widows.

Bupa Health Dialog – part of Bupa in Australia – has won the tender to deliver major elements of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ four-year $152.7 million Coordinated Veterans’ Care Program. The program will help Gold Card holders with chronic diseases to better access coordinated community-based care.

Bupa Health Dialog will analyse healthcare data held by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to proactively identify those veterans with chronic health conditions who are most at risk of hospitalisation, and who would benefit from an enhanced level of healthcare and management.

Bupa Health Dialog will also be involved in raising awareness of the program with GPs and other stakeholders, as well as contacting eligible participants and their doctors to advise them of the program.

The goal of the Coordinated Veterans’ Care Program is to increase the quality of life of eligible Gold Card holders and reduce the need for hospital stays by focusing on improved, coordinated community-based healthcare.

The program will target veterans with one or more of five chronic conditions – congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes.

Bupa Health Dialog’s General Manager, Brett Comer, said, “We are delighted to be a part of this pioneering initiative, which has the potential to improve the lives and wellbeing of Australian veterans and war widows.

“An estimated 17,000 veterans, or one in 10 Gold Card holders living in the community, will participate in the program by 2014.

“Having such a vital and active role in this important program goes hand-in-hand with Bupa’s commitment to helping all Australians live longer, healthier and happier lives,” he said.

Bupa Health Dialog will begin liaising with GPs and nurses in May to raise awareness of the Coordinated Veterans’ Care Program, before advising potential participants from June.

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Note for the editor:

How the Coordinated Veterans’ Care Program will work:

• The veterans’ health data held by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs will be analysed by Bupa Health Dialog to identify the target group.
• Bupa Health Dialog is also responsible for informing potential participants and their GPs of the program.
• GPs will receive an initial payment to admit veterans to the program and also receive quarterly payments to provide comprehensive care coordination and monitoring of their patient with the support of the practice nurse.
• The program will pay Department of Veterans’ Affairs -contracted community nurses if a GP does not have a practice nurse available.
• The program will also provide training and resources in chronic disease management and team-based care to GPs, as well as practice and community nurses implementing the program.
• The impact of social isolation will also be addressed with additional resources and access to social assistance through the expansion of the existing Veterans’ Home Care program.

More information about the program is available from www.dva.gov.au/cvc.htm

_{About Bupa Health Dialog
Bupa Health Dialog Pty Limited is a wellness, prevention and chronic disease management business utilising unique capabilities in population analytics, health coaching and shared decision making. Our aim is to support and empower people to be more informed and involved in their healthcare decisions; to enhance their relationship with their clinicians; and to help tackle rising healthcare costs. Our capabilities are grounded in the proven research, clinical excellence and evidence-based health care of Health Dialog, a world leader in healthcare decision support programs. Bupa Health Dialog is part of the global Bupa Group.}