The Center for Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity Urges New Approaches to Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes Care During Diabetes Awareness Month

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity (SHC), a division of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), is urging clinicians to take action this Diabetes Awareness Month to address widening disparities of diabetes disease burden among racial and ethnic populations through new approaches to care. Diabetes rates are rapidly rising among young adults, and many are experiencing complications impacting their health into adulthood. Evidence also demonstrates the heightened dangers of uncontrolled glucose levels and diabetes management during the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased risk of severe illness and up to four times greater likelihood of death. With rates of diabetes and related complications more common among people of color, the need to address disparities and improve equity in access to care is more urgent than ever.

"The COVID-19 pandemic helped draw attention to the issue of racial and ethnic disparities in health care, particularly in diabetes, but action is needed to reverse this trend through a patient-centric care model that reduces patient risk and focuses on outcomes and health investments versus short-term cost-savings," said Dr. Gary Puckrein, Ph.D., CEO and President of the National Minority Quality Forum. "We are working tirelessly through research and the creation of new resources to help shift current practices in diabetes care towards a model built around reducing a patient's risk for acute events through education, preventative services and quality improvement measures to increase quality of life."

Type 2 diabetes outcomes in communities of color have historically been plagued with persistent disparities and patients often face barriers to evidence-based treatment and support. SHC is working to address these challenges through its newly launched diabetes Driving Real Improvement in Value and Equity (DRIVE) Toolkit. The new model offers free, customizable strategies and resources to address issues such as evidence-based care, patient engagement and education, access to medications, and adherence to treatment as well as connection to needed social supports such as transportation and healthy food. The program is designed to help clinicians in various settings improve health equity and outcomes for the underserved diabetes patients in their care.

"The diabetes DRIVE program is a fully customizable program designed to assist clinicians and health systems improve health equity and patient outcomes through simple, effective strategies that can be implemented without additional burden on the practice," said Laura Lee Hall, Ph.D., president of SHC. "DRIVE offers the most comprehensive, holistic approach to address health disparities along with a one-of-a-kind quality improvement library that can be supplemented with hands-on training and support." 

The proof-of-concept diabetes model was created, with support from Sanofi, following success with a diabetes pilot program at select practice sites and similar SHC DRIVE models aimed at improving flu and COVID-19 vaccination rates.

To learn more and access the DRIVE toolkit, visit shcdrive.org.

About the National Minority Quality Forum
The National Minority Quality Forum assists health care providers, professionals, administrators, researchers, policymakers, and community and faith-based organizations in delivering appropriate health care to minority communities. This assistance is based on providing the evidence in the form of science, research, and analysis that will lead to the effective organization and management of system resources to improve the quality and safety of health care for the entire population of the U.S., including minorities. For more information, please visit www.nmqf.org.

About The Center for Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity
The Center for Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity, a division of the National Minority Quality Forum, promotes sustainable healthy communities, especially those with diverse and underserved populations, through the provision of actionable data, research, and engagement/training of clinicians and community leaders.

Media Contact
Kristen Hobbs [email protected]

SOURCE Center for Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity