Disease management: definitions and exploration of issues.

Disease management (DM) appears to be sweeping the health care industry. Its supporters claim that it can produce optimal health care outcomes through enhancements in the quality of care provided to patients and effective control of costs. This paper examines the primary reasons for the recent popularity of DM, discusses several thematic components common to various definitions of DM, and compares the often overly optimistic claims made for DM with the realities of how such programs are actually implemented. Finally, it examines critical issues and controversies that participants in DM must consider as this approach to managing patient care evolves.