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DaimlerChrysler Leads Drive for Common Clinical Management Guidelines

13 December 1999

DaimlerChrysler Leads Drive for Common Clinical Management Guidelines: Health Care Conference Initiates Dialogue for Best Practice Protocols In Six Key Areas

       AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 13 -- On December 6, 1999,
DaimlerChrysler facilitated a meeting with a diverse group of
health care suppliers -- physicians, hospitals, pharmacists, HMOs, PPOs, and
others -- to collectively develop standard clinical guidelines for five
diseases (Asthma, Low Back pain, Diabetes, Congestive Heart Failure,
Depression) and pharmaceutical prescribing guidelines.  The initiative titled
"Evidence-Based Medicine in Action: A Collaborative Approach," is the next
wave in DaimlerChrysler's ongoing efforts to achieve consistently high quality
health care and curb runaway costs.  Over five hundred participants from
across the country attended the meeting, including over 150 leading physicians
from 188 companies, hospitals, universities and associations.
    "We were thrilled with the high level of participation from some of our
key health care suppliers," said Kathy Oswald, Senior Vice President of Human
Resources at DaimlerChrysler.  "We believe getting medical professionals to
arrive at a consensus on best treatment practices is essential to improving
the quality of health care for our employees, retirees, dependents, as well as
our supply partners, dealer network and the community at large.  We've
learned, by purchasing health care, that it is not uncommon for physicians to
be asked by different health care plans to follow different guidelines for the
management of identical clinical conditions.  This is an extremely inefficient
process that leads to poorer outcomes."
    DaimlerChrysler achieved consensus among its major insurers to develop and
apply the uniform disease management protocols for five conditions, as well as
their associated pharmaceutical prescribing guidelines.
    Six teams have been formed and will meet frequently to define the standard
protocols.  The anticipated implementation date for the best practice
recommendations is next spring.  "We see this as a watershed event in
improving health care in the U.S.," said Oswald.  "DaimlerChrysler is devoting
resources to facilitate the process.  The protocols will be driven as a
collaborative effort among physicians, hospitals, HMOs, insurance carriers and
medical societies."