HSE to launch new disease treatment schemes

The HSE is to launch a major initiative next year aimed at changing how major diseases are treated in the health service, with an emphasis on improving care and delivering better use of healthcare funding.

The revamp will involve a similar approach to the National Cancer Control Programme.

Dr Barry White, recently appointed head of the HSE's new Clinical Care Directorate, told a consultants' meeting in Cavan at the weekend that the HSE would be focusing on setting up new disease management programmes in areas such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease including asthma, and mental health.

"We have got to deliver better care for less money, that is the reality. We are looking at initiatives at national level where the aim will be to improve care and reduce costs. We have had success with the cancer programme and what we will be looking at is setting up programmes similar to the cancer programme in major disease groups," he told the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) annual conference.

Dr White said the initiatives will be aimed at ensuring that patients are treated according to guidelines using a structured care pathway that will ensure that people will use the right healthcare professional when they need to in a timely manner.

As with the cancer programme, the new programmes would be led by clinicians and supported by other healthcare professionals and administrative staff.

Dr White told irishhealth.com it was intended to have a number of these new treatment programmes running in 2010 ,with the initial programmes focusing on diabetes and two other chronic disease areas.

He stressed that the new programmes will focus on delivering more care locally.  For example, the diabetes programme would use a recent blueprint for structured care shared between GPs and hospitals.

"If you improve diabetes care you will have fewer complications and therefore lower costs. A lot of these initiatives will in fact release resources into the system."

Dr White said while there would be targeted resources for certain areas, overall the initiatives would not involve an increase in investment.

[Posted: Mon 05/10/2009]