• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Newt Gingrich and Novo Nordisk Join Georgia Business and Health Care Leaders in a Call-to-Action to Combat the Diabetes Epidemic

Posted on: Friday, 29 July 2005, 15:00 CDT

ATLANTA, July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Speaker of the House and Founder of the Center for Health Transformation Newt Gingrich joined representatives from Novo Nordisk Inc., and local health and business leaders in issuing a call-to-action at "The Diabetes Challenge for Georgia!: An Executive Colloquium." The event, moderated by Jonathan Marquess, President of the Institute for Wellness and Education, focused on reforming health care strategies in order to improve outcomes for area diabetes patients. The evening culminated in the formation of a multidisciplinary committee to focus on creating and refining preventative and treatment practices to lessen the burden of diabetes in Georgia.

"Diabetes rates have been rising in this state for years and threaten to continue to do so as baby boomers advance in age and obese children become obese adults," remarked Elizabeth Ofili, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at Morehouse School of Medicine, and chair of the action committee. "With the formation of this group, we will engage key stakeholders to identify, select and implement actionable steps that will positively impact the general health and well-being of Georgians as it relates to the prevalence of diabetes and its impact across the state."

Supported by an initial grant from Novo Nordisk, the new diabetes action committee will provide a platform for Georgia's diabetes thought leaders to unite and affect real health care progress. Specific calls-to-action for the committee include:

* Identifying the first steps in meeting the challenges of diabetes in the state of Georgia * Providing a forum to prioritize and address the pressing issues for all parties affected by diabetes * Enhancing current successful efforts in Georgia by establishing communication links between existing programs * Developing an environment where innovative local diabetes initiatives can be applied statewide

"It is important for corporate America to join with the health care leaders to develop more effective practices for the prevention and treatment of diabetes here in Georgia, and share those best practices across the country," commented Martin Soeters, president of Novo Nordisk Inc. "It is our hope that by facilitating the dialogue, driving action and change, Novo Nordisk serves as the catalyst that helps initiate and sustain improved diabetes care."

Incidence of diabetes has risen sharply in Georgia in recent years, with prevalence of the disease increasing by more than 50 percent over the last decade. In addition, diabetes was Georgia's sixth leading cause of death in 2000. Many minority communities in Georgia are at greater risk of developing the disease, with diabetes rates in African Americans (8.7 percent) and Hispanics (6.9 percent) exceeding Caucasians (6.3 percent). The disease also takes an enormous financial toll on the state. Diabetes-related costs including medical care and lost productivity are reaching over $4 billion per year.*

Bridges to Excellence

Much of the event's discussion focused on a ground-breaking effort by the Center for Health Transformation and Georgia employers, insurers and physicians to launch the nation's largest "Bridges to Excellence" program. Led by companies such as UPS, General Electric and Verizon, Bridges to Excellence is designed to improve the quality of diabetes care and provide incentives for physicians who deliver optimal diabetes care. The program uses established standards of care to reward physicians who consistently implement best practices and empower patients to take ownership of their treatment and effectively and safely manage their own conditions.

"By uniting employers, health plans, consumers, physicians and group practices, the Bridges to Excellence program can improve the quality of care through rewards and incentives that encourage providers to deliver optimal care, and encourage patients to seek evidence-based care and self-manage their own conditions," stated Dale Whitney, Health and Welfare Manager for UPS.

Georgia's version of Bridges to Excellence will feature a special focus on minority populations, especially African Americans, who are disproportionately impacted by diabetes.

"The diabetes crisis is having a tragic impact on the lives of Americans, particularly among minorities, who are at increased risk for diabetes and its complications. It is vitally important that business leaders join with leaders in the medical community and in government to address this devastating and costly epidemic," said Speaker Gingrich. "Novo Nordisk is playing a key role across the country and here in Georgia through their sponsorship of roundtables, public awareness campaigns and other activities to support local leaders in their efforts to combat diabetes and eliminate health disparities."

Novo Nordisk presented the Georgia Excellence Certificate of Recognition to Nancy Kemp, Vice President of Medical Management at WellStar Health System in recognition of her organization's best practices and contributions to diabetes care.

The colloquium, sponsored by Novo Nordisk, explored the measures necessary to bridge the existing gaps in diabetes treatment, prevention and education. Experts from the medical, managed care, health policy, and business communities identified key issues hindering diabetes care today, and offered methods to address those challenges.

*(Sources: CDC; American Diabetes Association; GA Dept. of Human Resources, Public Health Division)

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company with an 80-year history of innovation and achievement in diabetes care. With the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems, Novo Nordisk is a world leader in diabetes care. In the United States, Novo Nordisk's ambition is to change the course of diabetes for good. Working as a catalyst to improve diabetes prevention and treatment, the company strives to be the preferred partner for employees, patients, healthcare providers, and others in the healthcare system who share its vision to defeat diabetes. In addition to diabetes care, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as hemostasis management, growth hormone therapy, and hormone therapy for women. Novo Nordisk's business is driven by the Triple Bottom Line: a commitment to economic success, environmental soundness, and social responsibility to employees and customers. With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 21,000 full-time employees in 78 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo Nordisk's B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'NVO'. For global information, visit http://www.novonordisk.com/; for United States information, visit http://www.novonordisk-us.com/.

Novo Nordisk Inc.

CONTACT: Susan Jackson of Novo Nordisk, +1-609-919-7776, or ChrisFinnegan of Hill & Knowlton, +1-202-944-5121, for Novo Nordisk

Web site: http://www.novonordisk.com/http://www.novonordisk-us.com/

Source: PRNewswire

More News in this Category