The National Health Insurance Company - Daman (PJSC), the leading health insurance company in the region, has launched it's first Disease Management Program (DMP) "SANADAK" as part of its strategy for improving the health standards of the nation and helping itsthiqa members better manage their chronic health conditions and live healthier lifestyles.
Daman's Disease Management program will assess general health and manage chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. Members enrolled in the program will be trained on the main causes of their disease, how to self-monitor, the complications of the disease and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
The first phase of the program will focus on diabetes since around 20% of the UAE's population is now living with diabetes and figures show that 40% of residents over 60 are diagnosed with diabetes. This figure is expected to further increase over the coming years.
This first phase of the Disease Management Program will include face to face coaching and training sessions called MEDIAS 2 for thiqa members suffering from Type 2 diabetes non-insulin dependant. The training will be given in 12 sessions, compromising of a weekly one hour session, in small groups of 8-10 diabetic thiqa members. In addition to that, thiqa members will be enrolled in telecoaching programs where they will be receiving structured monthly calls from a Medical Education Coordinator "MEC", a specially trained personal coach with specific medical background. The MEC will act as a personal health trainer who will support, educate, and empower participants to manage their health and improve their quality of life. Both programs have been successfully used in Germany for years and have been adapted for use in accordance with the the UAE's cultural environment.
According to the plan, Daman will be contacting diabetic thiqa members to enroll into the Disease Management Program. The program is free of charge to all thiqa eligible members. So far, 30% of the contacted members have shown positive responses.
Daman's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Michael Bitzer commented: "The launch of the Disease Management Program fulfills our promise to deliver value-added services to our clients. By providing training programs that help manage chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes, we will be able to help our members avoid complications and reduce the need for medical treatments and hospitalization."
He continued: " At this stage we are only launching the first phase of Sanadak that will focus on members suffering from diabetes and obesity; additional programs will soon be available giving our Thiqa members a range of coaching program for various chronic diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, depression, back pain and COPD"
Dr. Alfons Grabosch, manager of the Disease Management Program added: "We have decided to focus on Diabetes and Obesity in the initial stage of Sanadak since we know that diabetes is currently the fastest growing disease in the world. In the UAE, it is estimated that one out of five people is diagnosed with this disease, while a similar percentage of the population is at risk of developing it. Through this program, we aim to slow the progression of the disease for diabetic UAE Nationals, reduce the number of complications and by that better the quality of life. Research shows that a typical Type 2 diabetic person who reduces body weight through exercise and adopting healthy eating habits and monitors his/her blood sugar, will reduce the risk of complications and can live a normal life."
Sanadak is the first-of-its-kind Disease Management Program is designed to help diabetic Thiqa members manage their conditions.
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For more information please logon to Daman's web portal at www.damanhealth.ae or alternatively please call Daman's specialized Toll free number for Sanadak 800 4 78557
© Press Release 2009
