Chronic Care

75-percent of the nation's health care spending goes to the treatment of chronic diseases. Can such on-going health issues be treated in a way to reduce health care costs?

That is one question we are working on for this week's Iowa Journal on chronic care.

We're talking about treatment for chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and asthma. That's almost 3/4 of the 2 trillion dollar spending on health care in this country.

So, what can you do to help this conditions?

We will be featuring the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program –coordinated/implemented by the Iowa Department on Aging. Also a look at a program that deals with juvenile diabetes.

Children are also being impacted -- It has been estimated that chronic health issues affect 10 to 30 percent of children.

So this week, we'll talk about those health issues.

Here's our guest list for the program. Bill Applegate, executive director of the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium, Kathy Leggett, director of the Center for Advocacy and Outreach at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines, and Helen Eddy, assistant vice president of Health and Wellness for Hy-Vee, Inc.

Here's the official news release on the program.
Chronic Health Conditions:
On the Thursday, November 19 edition
of The Iowa Journal

(Johnston, Iowa) –Thursday’s episode of The Iowa Journal will take a look at efforts to handle chronic health conditions. This program airs Thursday, November 19 at 8 p.m. It will be rebroadcast Friday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m. on IPTV and Saturday, November 21 at 8:30 a.m. on IPTV WORLD. It will also be available online at iptv.org/iowajournal.

Treating chronic conditions consumes 75 percent of the nation’s $2 trillion in health-care spending. These conditions include diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, cancer and asthma. The next episode of The Iowa Journal will feature a visit to a class offered to seniors on how to deal with the fatigue, pain and stress that often accompanies living with chronic conditions. It will also include a story about a special camp for children with diabetes where they learn the skills they need to manage their disease.

In the studio to discuss efforts to assess health risks and promote preventative health practices are Bill Applegate, executive director of the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium, Kathy Leggett, director of the Center for Advocacy and Outreach at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines, and Helen Eddy, assistant vice president of Health and Wellness for Hy-Vee, Inc.
For more information about The Iowa Journal, visit www.iptv.org/iowajournal or call (515) 242-3146. For information on how to watch IPTV WORLD in your area, visit Iptv.org.

I'm always open to your thoughts on questions for our guests. Also, we're always open to topic ideas.

We are still looking for those Iowans who you think are visionary. Who is doing something that in 5 to 10 years we're going to say, wow, they really knew what was happening. You can post it in the comments section of the blog or send me an email to paul.yeager@iptv.org

We're working on a crime victims program for December and also a look at the wine industry in Iowa. Next week we'll have a look at the natural heritage of Iowa.

Last week we talked about art in public places and the public discussion of art. I thought it went well and included a look at the Pappajohn Sculpture park in Des Moines and also the Molecule Man in Council Bluffs. You can view the entire program here.

Or you can read the entire post about the program here. That program also flew along with a Central Iowa Honor Flight.

See you next time.