March 12, 2007

Contact: Mark Upson, Diabetes Program Chair
Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati
2100 Sherman Avenue, Suite 100
Cincinnati, OH 45212
Phone 513-281-7107

Federated Department Stores Foundation Awards
Health Improvement Collaborative $25,000
to Fund Diabetes Screenings

The Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati has received $25,000 from The Federated Department Stores Foundation to support its Greater Cincinnati Diabetes Program (GCDP).

The grant will be used to fund the GCDP’s “No Undiagnosed Diabetics” initiative, whereby adult patients are screened at area Federally Qualified Health Centers.

“We are privileged to be working with Federated Department Stores to address this vital health issue,” said Mark Upson, GCDP chair. Given that medical costs for untreated diabetics average $4,000 per year more than those who receive effective treatment, “It makes sense to implement the ‘No Undiagnosed Diabetics’ initiative in an effort to halt staggering increases in health care costs down the road,” says Upson

The GCDP represents the first initiative that coordinates both public and private sector diabetes efforts to benefit both insured and uninsured populations. The GCDP strives to connect patients, medical providers and funders into one coordinated “best practices” diabetes detection and treatment program for all Greater Cincinnati residents.

In 2006 the GCDP conducted more than 5,000 adult screenings. Since the program launched in 2005, the program has qualified 124 area physicians to render “best practices” care. For 2007, the GCDP has an ambitious goal to screen more than 100,000 adults. One significant step toward this goal is a 25,000-patient pilot project that the program is conducting in collaboration with Group Health Associates in Springdale.

For more information about the Collaborative and how to support its initiatives, contact Development Director Linda Wilfong at (513) 531-0267 or lwilfong@gchc.org. Or, visit www.the-collaborative.org.

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