HCF to enrol 15,000th
participant in groundbreaking chronic
disease support program
Chief Medical Officer offers tips for a healthy holiday season
30/12/2009 – Leading not-for-profit private health insurer, HCF, and preventive health and
chronic disease management provider, Healthways Australia, will enrol the 15,000th
participant in their industry-leading chronic disease support program, My Health Guardian,
early in the new year .
The milestone puts HCF and Healthways on track to reach the target of having 25,000
HCF members with chronic disease participating in My Health Guardian by mid-2010.
Launched by HCF last August as a $100 million investment over five years, My Health
Guardian is the largest chronic disease support program operated by a single health
insurer in Australia.
My Health Guardian provides phone–based and online support to HCF members across
the full spectrum of health circumstances. The program is delivered on behalf of HCF by
Healthways Australia, whose team of qualified nurses, dieticians and exercise
physiologists work with participants to guide personalised health, wellbeing and chronic
disease support programs.
As well as behavioural change programs to help people quit smoking, lose weight,
manage high blood pressure and cholesterol, and improve exercise and diet, My Health
Guardian offers specialised support for people with up to 21 chronic illnesses including
diabetes, heart disease and asthma.
Chief Medical Officer of HCF, Dr Andrew Cottrill, said it was pleasing HCF and Healthways
had been able to sustain a strong enrolment rate for My Health Guardian after its launch.
“Clearly there is a lot of unmet demand among the chronically ill for personalised support
so they can better self-manage their conditions. HCF has taken the lead in meeting this
demand, and the benefits in terms of reduced hospitalisation and improved quality of life
are starting to come through,” Dr Cottrill said.
Figures released by Healthways in November showed the most common chronic
conditions reported by My Health Guardian participants were: diabetes (65% of
participants), coronary artery disease (59%), high blood pressure (40%), reflux problems
(33%) and low back pain (20%).
Managing Director of Healthways Australia, Tim Morphy, said feedback from My Health
Guardian participants coming through nurses operating at the frontline was very positive.
“Most participants are really glad to have ready access by phone to someone who
understands their medical condition. In particular, they find the support and motivation
necessary to manage their condition, in conjunction with their medical provider, is a
welcome service,” Mr Morphy said.
“Before long personalised programs like My Health Guardian will be commonplace in
Australia, and they will play a huge role in our national response to the chronic disease
tsunami heading our way,” he said.
Dr Cottrill said the fact this milestone was reached near the Christmas / New Year period
was a timely reminder that people challenged by chronic illness could not afford to let
healthy living regimes slip amid the festivities.
“As difficult as it is when others around you are perhaps overindulging, those managing
illnesses such as diabetes, a heart condition or high blood pressure need to stick as near
as possible to their normal regimes.” Dr Cottrill said.
“It’s all about moderation. Reverting to previous, possibly unhealthy eating, drinking and
lifestyle habits – even for a couple of weeks - can set back a disease management
program many months.”
Dr Cottrill said the following simple principles – SNAP – were a safe guide for health
behaviour:
Let’s quit Smoking for 2010.
Healthy Nutrition
Moderate Alcohol intact
And daily Physical Activity
“We also recommend people access My Health Guardian’s on-line health risk assessment
to find out more about the health risks they face,” Dr Cottrill said.
Media contacts
HCF
Dr Andrew Cottrill
Chief Medical Officer
Tel: 9290 0619
Mob: 0419 400 719
acottrill@hcf.com.au
Healthways Australia
Craig Bosworth
Director of Strategy
Mob: 0409 356 455
craig.bosworth@healthways.com
About HCF
HCF is Australia’s third-largest, and largest not-for-profit, health insurer, currently extending
coverage to 1.3 million Australians. HCF has exceeded the industry growth rate each year for the
past five years, consistently pays back more in benefits from earned contributions than the industry
average and has the best medical no-gap coverage of any major health fund in Australia. The
financial strength of HCF is supported by its strong capital backing, and the lowest management
expenses of the major funds. HCF members benefit from an extensive branch network and access
to HCF’s expanding network of dental and eye care centres and Oral Health Program (for members
outside metropolitan Sydney). HCF Life offers innovative add-on insurance protection for illness and
About Healthways
Healthways is a population health company providing personalised wellness, prevention and
disease management programs. Since its foundation in 1981, Healthways has been working with
and assisting governments, employers, health insurers, hospitals, doctors and above all,
individuals; to improve the effectiveness of healthcare, enhance the fundamental care experience
and reduce healthcare costs through large-scale health programs adapted and tailored for the local
health system. Globally one of the largest providers of population health management, Healthways
provides ongoing health analysis and services for over 35 million individuals worldwide in Australia,
Europe, North and South America.
NEWS 
