As part of its mission to help close the gap between people and care, Humana Inc. announced today an innovative collaboration with the American Diabetes Association (Association) to develop a consumer-centric diabetes curriculum and delivery model with the goal of helping slow the progression of diabetes through engaging educational information based on the organization’s standards of medical care.
“This partnership with the American Diabetes Association is reflective of Humana’s bold goal to improve the health of the communities we serve by breaking down barriers and providing accessible ways for people to achieve their personal best health,” said Sarah Ahmad, Vice President Innovation Consumer Health Solutions, Humana. “The Association is strategically positioned to serve people living with diabetes through education solutions that help individuals understand the disease in the context of their own health journey with the goal of slowing disease progression.”
Type 2 diabetes can be effectively managed with appropriate education and self-management behaviors. However, research shows that almost two-thirds of adults with type 2 diabetes do not receive any diabetes education1. Lack of standardization in diabetes education also often creates conflicting information for those who have the disease.
The new delivery model co-developed between Humana and ADA will be a first-of-its-kind offering content that is evidence-based, culturally relevant, engaging and available in multi-channel formats. Each year the Association publishes its Standards of Medical Care which provide clinicians with the evidence and established targets to attain the goals of diabetes care.
The goal of the collaboration is to use an adaptable and engaging evidence-based curriculum to help people with diabetes manage and live well with the disease. A core component of the delivery model will be community based engagement that extends beyond the workshop in the form of support groups, digital tools and peer-to-peer service to provide accessible support, education and information for people with diabetes and family members. People with diabetes will also assist in the co-creation of the program to ensure it is relevant and practical at an individual level. It will be for both those who are newly diagnosed and also for those individuals who have long-standing diabetes.
“We are constantly seeking ways to develop innovative offerings that make people’s lives better and healthier,” said Maria Mupanomunda, Vice President Type 2 Diabetes Programs, American Diabetes Association. “Working with Humana on a co-created delivery model, we will take the recommendations in the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and translate them in a way that is digestible, personally relevant, and impactful to a person living with diabetes.”
Date: June 17, 2015