Significant decreases in medical care use and costs can be achieved when people have appropriate medically sound information to help adopt appropriate self care measures. Therehave been multiple studies by leading insurance companies and reputablefirms that document the effectiveness of self-care books in reducing outpatientutilization. As part of a demonstration project the USAFs Air CombatCommand found a 16 reduction in doctor visits and a 28 decrease in emergency room visits whenself-care books were utilized. The goal of our Self Care program is to assist beneficiaries to become informedhealth care consumers through increasing their understanding of their symptoms and disease conditions as well as theirconfidence in their ability to make positive health and lifestyle behavior changes. An anonymous author stated Takecare of yourself.
Good health is everyones major source of wealth.
Without it happiness is virtuallly impossible. Managedcare e.g. self care represents the single greatest opportunity for the real development of prevention in the health caresystem.