Improving Diabetes Care and Outcomes on the South Side of Chicago
Visit the Improving Diabetes Care and Outcomes on the South Side of Chicago web site for additional information about this dynamic project.
The University of Chicago has developed this program to improve the quality of care and outcomes of people with diabetes on the South Side of Chicago. Many South Side residents are African-American and have significant socioeconomic challenges. This program seeks to coordinate community clinics, an academic medical center and community-based organizations to provide comprehensive diabetes management and care in a sustainable way.
Goals
- Improve processes and outcomes of diabetes care for residents in the predominantly African-American South Side of Chicago by implementing a collaborative model program in six clinics
- Strengthen a coalition comprised of the University of Chicago, safety net health centers and community-based organizations on Chicago’s South Side
- Increase public awareness of diabetes disparities and empower the community to draw upon its new knowledge, assets and resources to combat this problem
Approach
Provide culturally tailored education for patients to empower them to communicate effectively with their health care providers and become active participants in their own health care
Provide cultural competency training and behavioral change education to health care providers to teach them how to communicate effectively with their patients and facilitate lifestyle improvements and redesign diabetes management at the clinics to include patient advocates, nurse care management and enhanced community partnerships
Progress
The patient education program has been launched at all six participating health center sites. Pilot studies of the program found that participants improved their self-care behaviors, and shared decision-making self-efficacy.
Curriculum for the cultural awareness workshops for health care providers will reach all participating sites by the end of 2011.
Additional Information
For more information on Improving Diabetes Care and Outcomes on the South Side of Chicago, please visit the project web site or contact project managers Tonya Roberson troberso@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu or Anna Goddu agoddu@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu.