National Business Coalition on Health Awards Grants to 14 Coalitions for Diabetes Qualit...( Seed funding promotes diabetes ca...),Health

Seed funding promotes diabetes care improvement at a community-level

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- To assist coalitions throughout the U.S. in implementing and evaluating models for improving diabetes care at a community-level, the non-profit National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) announced the recipients of its first NBCH Diabetes Seed Grant Program. The program for NBCH member coalitions -- intended to support the initial stages or further existing diabetes quality programs -- was launched with funding from Novo Nordisk Inc., with additional support from Merck & Co., Inc., Pfizer Inc and sanofi-aventis.

"NBCH is pleased to support our member coalitions as they do the important work of convening market stakeholders around the treatment and care of employees with diabetes," said Andrew Webber, president and CEO of NBCH. "More than one-third of the U.S. adult population has diabetes or is well on their way to getting it. Diabetes care is expensive and if we can improve the quality of that care, we can reduce the cost to businesses and improve the quality of life for employees."

A variety of programs will be funded with several recipients implementing the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation's HealthMapRx, a pharmacist-coordinated, patient-self management program modeled after the highly successful Asheville Project. Other efforts include adopting Bridges to Excellence diabetes measures and collaborations with public or private organizations and employers.

The first round of seed grants totaling $350,000 were awarded to 14 coalitions:

-- Colorado Business Group on Health -- to expand the Bridges to

Excellence initiative

-- Employers' Health Coalition in Fort Smith, Arkansas -- for physician

recruitment for the Bridges to Excellence Diabetes Care Link Program

-- FrontPath Health Coalition in Perrysburg, Ohio -- to implement a

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