Transpiration-powered desalination water bottle.

Inspired by mangrove trees, we present a theoretical design and analysis of a portable desalinating water bottle powered by transpiration. The bottle includes an annular fin for absorbing solar heat, which is used to boost the evaporation rate of water from the interior synthetic leaf. This synthetic leaf comprises a nanoporous film deposited atop a supporting micromesh. Water evaporating from the leaf generates a highly negative Laplace pressure, which pulls the overlying source water across an upstream reverse osmosis membrane. Evaporated water is re-condensed in the bottom of the bottle for collection. The benefit of our hybrid approach to desalination is that reverse osmosis is spontaneously enabled by transpiration, while the thermal evaporation process is enhanced by heat localization and made more durable by pre-filtering the salt. We estimate that a 9.4 cm diameter bottle, with a 10 cm wide annular fin, could harvest about a liter of fresh water per day from ocean water.

Impact of telephonic interventions on glycosylated hemoglobin and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol testing.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether diabetes disease management (DM) programs are able to improve adherence to glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) clinical testing in a nonadherent population and to quantify the efficacy of telephonic interventions in improving clinical testing rates. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort study before and after DM program implementation. METHODS: A baseline cohort of members with diabetes (n = 5640) was identified from among large-scale diabetes DM programs administered for 13 geographically diverse health plans. Members were defined by nonadherence at baseline to A1C and/or LDL-C testing, grouped together based on how long they had participated in the program, divided retrospectively into telephonically contacted and uncontacted groups, and analyzed in the subsequent 12-month implementation period for testing rates. Subgroups defined by disease burden at baseline and frequency of telephonic interactions were analyzed to determine achievement of guideline-based A1C and LDL-C testing rates. RESULTS: Participation in diabetes DM programs was associated with improved A1C and LDL-C testing rates in previously nonadherent members. Calling nonadherent members improved A1C testing by 30.2% and LDL-C testing by 10.9% compared with testing rates for members who were not called. Members with high disease burden benefited even more from the diabetes intervention. Frequency of telephonic contacts with nonadherent individuals demonstrated a linear relationship with improved rates of adherence to A1C and LDL-C testing guidelines, and markedly improved testing rates compared with a not-called group. CONCLUSION: Telephonic interventions as part of comprehensive DM programs are associated with improved disease-monitoring testing.

Association between frequency of telephonic contact and clinical testing for a large, geographically diverse diabetes disease management population.

Diabetes disease management (DM) programs strive to promote healthy behaviors, including obtaining hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) tests as part of standards of care. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between frequency of telephonic contact and A1c and LDL testing rates. A total of 245,668 members continuously enrolled in diabetes DM programs were evaluated for performance of an A1c or LDL test during their first 12 months in the programs. The association between the number of calls a member received and clinical testing rates was examined. Members who received four calls demonstrated a 24.1% and 21.5% relative increase in A1c and LDL testing rates, respectively, compared to members who received DM mailings alone. Response to the telephonic intervention as part of the diabetes DM programs was influenced by member characteristics including gender, age, and disease burden. For example, females who received four calls achieved a 27.7% and 23.6% increase in A1c and LDL testing, respectively, compared to females who received mailings alone; by comparison, males who were called achieved 21.2% and 19.9% relative increase in A1c and LDL testing, respectively, compared to those who received mailings alone. This study demonstrates a positive association between frequency of telephonic contact and increased performance of an A1c or LDL test in a large, diverse diabetes population participating in DM programs. The impact of member characteristics on the responsiveness to these programs provides DM program designers with knowledge for developing strategies to promote healthy behaviors and improve diabetes outcomes.

A focused telephonic nursing intervention delivers improved adherence to A1c testing.

Compliance with hemoglobin A1c (A1c) testing is suboptimal despite the clear national recommendations and guidelines established for care of patients with diabetes. Recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between participation in a diabetes disease management (DM) program and improved adherence to A1c testing. A focused intervention study was initiated to investigate the ability of a DM program to drive improvement in A1c testing. A cohort of 36,327 members experienced a statistically significant increase (29%) in A1c testing while participating in the 6-month focused intervention. This finding demonstrated that a focused DM intervention is able to deliver improvement in a clinical process metric critical for managing patients with diabetes, thereby reducing their risk of disease exacerbation.

The role of health-risk appraisals in disease management.

Managed care organizations and disease management vendors often find themselves in the position of responding to employers who want to administer a health-risk appraisal (HRA) without committing to implementation of a comprehensive health promotion program. The assumption appears to be that information on health risks is sufficient to motivate employees to change their health behaviors in order to reduce estimated health risks. A review of the relevant literature does not substantiate the efficacy of a stand-alone HRA for motivating behavior change. The challenge is to engage employers in informed conversations on what works in health promotion and achieve cost-effective benefits.

Remote physiological monitoring: clinical, financial, and behavioral outcomes in a heart failure population.

This article reports on the outcomes associated with remote physiological monitoring (RPM) conducted as part of a heart failure disease management program. Claims data, medical records, data transmission records, and survey results for 91 individuals ages 50-92 (mean 74 years) successfully completing a heart failure RPM program were analyzed for time periods before, during, and after the monitoring intervention. The program was associated with significant reductions in per member per month costs and emergency room and hospital utilization. More detailed analyses were performed for specific gender and age subgroups. Participant surveys indicated high levels of satisfaction, and improvements in self-perceived health status, self-efficacy, and self-management behaviors. This study is the first to assess the impact of a RPM program following removal of the monitoring equipment. The results indicate that RPM, as a component of a traditional disease management program, has a sustained, beneficial effect on participants' lifestyles after the monitoring period has ended.

Practice changes in glycemic management and outcomes in coronary artery bypass surgery patients.

This study aims to evaluate whether a quality improvement initiative in hyperglycemia management could result in substantiated practice changes and improved outcomes for coronary artery bypass surgery patients. Retrospective chart review and analysis of 103 randomly selected patients hospitalized for coronary artery bypass surgery was used. After the glycemia awareness initiative, the perioperative use of intravenous insulin infusion therapy increased in the total population (P = .01) as well as in the diabetes population (P = .03). Frequency of blood glucose level tests ordered for nondiabetic patients increased from 2.8 per day to 4.3 per day (P = .38). Blood glucose values improved in the diabetic population (Ps = .02, .048). The average length of stay improved in all nondiabetic patients (10.7-8.1 days, P = .07) including those who had coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiac catheterization (7.8-6.2 days, P = .09) and coronary artery bypass graft surgery with catheterization with complications (15.0-9.0 days, P = .12). The glycemia awareness initiative resulted in a positive impact on practice patterns. Undiagnosed diabetes and impaired fasting glucose are important and unrecognized issues within this hospital population. It is recommended that healthcare practitioners assume that cardiac patients have an increased likelihood of impaired fasting glucose and hyperglycemia. Advanced practice nurses can improve patient outcomes by ordering glucose testing and glycemic management as a routine practice for all cardiac surgery patients, regardless of diabetes diagnosis. Cardiac staff nurses can recommend glucose testing and screening for prediabetes and diabetes as a routine part of all nursing assessment.

Case study of American Healthways' diabetes disease management program.

Disease management has been defined as a system of coordinated health care interventions and communications for populations with conditions in which patient self-care efforts are significant (Disease Management Association of America, 2005). The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the diabetes disease management program offered by American Healthways (AMHC) and highlight recently reported results of this program (Villagra, 2004a; Espinet et al., 2005).