The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45714

Timothy J. McDonald, PA, MHSA¹, Andrew Lanza, MPH, MSW², and Jane M. Kelly, MD². (1) Corporate Health Promotion, Health Care Initiatives, General Motors Corporation, Mail Code 482-C26-D36, P.O.Box 300 300 Renaissance Drive, Detroit, MI 48365, 313-665-4580, timothy.mcdonald@gm.com, (2) Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy., N.E., Mail Stop K-10, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is a collaborative partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Health, public and private organizations including large businesses with the joint goal of improved diabetes care and disease prevention. In order to encourage businesses to consider implementing an employer-based diabetes management program, the Business and Managed Care Work Group (BMCWG) of the NDEP created the publication “Making a Difference: The Business Community Takes On Diabetes”. This document includes statistics relevant to understanding the impact of diabetes on working people. In addition, the BMCWG has developed Diabetesatwork.org, a public domain easy-to-use tool that helps businesses assess the impact of diabetes on their workplace and provides them with the resources for creating education programs. Quality education programs conducted at or through the workplace may help contain costs, increase productivity, and improve quality of life for the employees with diabetes. Diabetesatwork.org, scheduled for availability in 2002, includes discussion of the business case (calculating costs of uncontrolled diabetes for their workforce), diabetes program designs, strategies to prompt employee awareness and participation, program evaluation issues, and how to work with health plans. Tools for developing and implementing a diabetes management program such as formulas for calculating a company’s estimated diabetes-related health costs and the potential reduction of these costs by an effective diabetes management program, are featured. Worksite programs not only educate and support employees with diabetes; ultimately they also lower companies’ health care costs.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the “business case” of calculating the costs of uncontrolled diabetes as an incentive for workplace commitment to improved diabetes care.
• Identify the Diabetesatwork.org website as a source of information for businesses and employees interested in developing employer-based diabetes management programs.
• List some of the tools developed by the NDEP for employers interested in developing and evaluating the effectiveness of worksite programs.

Keywords: Business Plans, Diabetes

Related Web page: www.cdc.gov/team-ndep

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Diabetes Education Program
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.