At UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
UMDNJ Researcher Pioneers New Statewide Program Aimed At Promoting Wellness and Preventing Diseases
—Health Wellness Promotion Act First of its Kind in Nation

Media Inquiries

A physician at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) has pioneered a new statewide health promotion and disease prevention program designed to improve the health of New Jerseyans.

The program became state law this month (November). It was developed by public health experts at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark as an annual "human tune-up" that may be administered by primary care physicians or nurse practitioners for an average cost of $220.

The idea appealed to New Jersey Assemblyman John V. Kelly (R-36th), who sponsored the legislation that created the Health Wellness Promotion Act (HWPA), a 17-point checklist of annual medical tests and self-examinations for individuals over the age of 20. All procedures related to the HWPA will be covered by all participating HMOs under contract with the state, which covers about five million New Jerseyans.

The program was conceived by Dr. Donald B. Louria, chairman emeritus of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, and author of "Your Healthy Body, Your Healthy Life; How to Take Control of Your Medical Destiny." He devised the 17 points of the program.

"It’s in every person’s best interest to adopt the program as the cornerstone of his or her health behavior," Dr. Louria said.

"This is the first state nationwide that has put its imprimatur on a specific program that defines what is and is not health promotion and disease prevention," Dr. Louria said. "The law provides for an annual paid-for prevention examination. That is a huge step forward in the effort to improve the health of the public."

The 17 tests and actions include blood pressure and weight determinations; blood tests for cholesterol and HDL (good cholesterol) levels, glucose and hemoglobin (for anemia); PAP smears; breast self-examination and mammograms; studies for bowel cancer; glaucoma eye tests; immunization updating; testicular self-examination; lower back exercises; smoking control and seat belt usage.

Excluded in the annual prevention program are routine X-rays and electrocardiograms, extensive physical examination, many routine blood tests, including the blood tests for prostate cancer. "We will add prostate cancer tests when they are definitely shown to save lives," said Dr. Louria, who noted that other expert groups, such as the United States Preventive Services Task Force, do not recommend prostate cancer screening.

Private health insurers also are required to include the Healthful Life Program as part of their basic coverage. Additionally, Medicaid recipients and those on Medicare who are enrolled in HMOs are covered.

The new law requires that the annual prevention examination include consultation between the patient and the health care provider so that the participant can ask about any topic related to health promotion/disease prevention. "That could be the most valuable aspect of the law," Dr. Louria said.

The program was constructed to be comprehensive, but inexpensive, he said. For participants under 40, we anticipate the average cost will be $125. Over age 40, we expect the examination will cost $175 for men and $265 for women. The quickest way to destroy health promotion/disease prevention in this country is to make it too expensive.

"We hope this program will become a model for other states around the nation because of its emphasis on prevention and wellness as an approach to improving the health of the public and, at the same time, to containing escalating costs of health care," he added.

A website, located at http://www./umdnj.edu/hwmedweb/, has been established to provide accurate, updated health promotion/disease prevention information. The website, which is supported by The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey and sponsored by Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc., of Nutley, is scheduled to on-line on Jan. 1, 2001. The site includes:

• A summary of the 17 points
• A weekly summary and ranking (from no recommendation to full endorsement) of three articles from prestigious medical journals that are of major interest to the public.
• A critique of advertised claims about food, nurtraceuticals, herbs, botanicals and phytochemicals
• A particular focus on nutrition
• A monthly feature written by Dr. Louria

A national advisory board has been established that reviews every newsletter article before it is placed on the website.

In addition, a three-person advisory board is responsible for overseeing and implementing the HWPA. That board also is responsible for suggesting changes in, additions to or deletions from the 17 tests and actions, but no change can be made without the concurrence of the New Jersey Legislature.

Dr. Louria said, "It took nine years to make this law a reality. The law has actually been signed by two governors (Whitman and Florio). Thanks to their support and the persistence of Assemblyman Kelly, New Jersey now leads the nation in health promotion and disease prevention. Of course, the law is only step one; now we have to have the enthusiastic support of HMOs and health care providers, and the public needs to know about the law and request the paid-for annual prevention examination."

The UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School is one of three medical schools of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. UMDNJ comprises New Jersey’s only three medical schools, the state’s only dental school, a nursing school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions and a school of public health on campuses in Newark, Piscataway/New Brunswick, Camden, Stratford and Scotch Plains. UMDNJ also operates University Hospital, Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare. It is affiliated with more than 200 health care and educational institutions throughout the state.