Disease Management

Diabetes Research Project

The Institute for Health Care Studies, the MSU College of Nursing and CAPE Health Plan have partnered to conduct a collaborative research project using a nurse case management/community health worker intervention to reduce health disparities experienced by African American (AA) members with diabetes. Funding for this study was received from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation. The purpose of the study is to:

• Implement a culturally sensitive diabetes care intervention aimed at disparity reduction
• Describe characteristics of African American Medicaid enrollees who fully participate versus partially participate in the diabetes care intervention
  
• Describe intervention approaches that assist this population to engage in recommended diabetes self-management and clinical care
  
• Examine trends in perceived disparities/barriers and study outcomes in a population receiving the intervention.

The completion date for the project is Spring of 2007. 

Project Contact: Debra Darling

Diabetes Collaboration

At the request of the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), IHCS assisted the Department and the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan in convening diabetes stakeholders to identify quality improvement projects, areas of overlap and opportunities for collaboration. The meeting, which was held in March 2006, included participants from a number of health care delivery organizations, communities, health plans, physicians, and other groups that are working on quality improvement initiatives related to diabetes.  Participants shared ideas and discussed common issues related to quality improvement efforts for persons with diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney disease.  The group will reconvene in the future to continue discussions regarding collaborative efforts.

Project Contact: Stacey Duncan-Jackson