Kettering Health Network is expanding its partnership with Joslin Diabetes Center, the world’s largest diabetes research and clinical care organization, by opening additional Joslin-certified centers within the network later this year.
Proposed expansion primary locations are: Beavercreek —scheduled to open November 1, 2014, Fort Hamilton, and Southview. The potential education-only sites are Englewood, Preble County, Trotwood, Sycamore, and Kettering.
The network is also launching a new Primary Care Provider Certification Program for diabetes-specific training. This certification program is for board certified internal medicine or family medicine physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners interested in improving the care of their adult patients with diabetes.
In addition to enhancing the diabetes-specific training of practitioners and their staff, the certification is designed to align with healthcare quality standards published in the Affordable Care Act legislation and support organizations working toward a clinically integrated network, Patient Centered Medical Homes, and Meaningful Use.
Providers who attain this certification may have advantages such as:
- Increase in referrals
- Joslin co-branded name recognition
- Improved clinical outcomes through the use of evidence based protocols
- Access to certified diabetes educators
- Receive payer advantage
- Expedited scheduling with endocrinology referrals
The expansion and certification program were created in response to staggering diabetes statistics. “Diabetes is on the rise nationwide, and the incidence rates in our region are startling,” says Melody Johnson, network Joslin director. Compared to the national diabetes average of 8.3%, 13.4% of people in Montgomery County have diabetes. Furthermore, 85% of the residents (62,564 people) estimated to have diabetes don’t receive care from a diabetes-certified provider—or at all.
These statistics illustrate a need, greater than ever for Kettering Health Network to provide diabetes care and educational services for our community.
According to Bev Knapp, vice president of Health Reform Strategies, “Joslin provides us with an exciting expansion opportunity to take a national best practice model and combine it with an amazing dedicated and highly educated team of cares providers to truly deliver on the network’s mission of improving the lives for the communities in which we serve.”
The Primary Care Provider Certification Program is currently being piloted in several Kettering Physician Network and independent physician practices across the network. It will be ready to roll out to interested practices in the second quarter of 2015.