Regional/National Resource Core for Improving Diabetes Outcomes in Community Health Centers

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY - Regional/National Resource Core for Improving Diabetes Outcomes in Community Health Centers Community health centers (HC) are vanguard providers of health care for vulnerable populations, serving 24 million Americans in 1200 centers in 9000 sites. Forty percent of HC patients are uninsured, 36% have Medicaid coverage, over 60% are racial or ethnic minorities, and 71% are at or below the federal poverty line. Nationally, HCs serve 1 of every 4 people in poverty, 1 of 10 minorities, and 1 of 9 rural Americans. HCs are a critical provider of care to underserved populations, and a vital part of efforts to reduce national disparities. The Chicago Center for Diabetes Translation Research (CCDTR) will serve as a regional and national resource for diabetes translation research in community health centers. We will continue our longstanding collaboration with the MidWest Clinicians' Network (MWCN) of approximately 130 health centers with 300 practice sites in the 10 Midwestern states as well as with partners including the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Association of Asian Pacific Islander Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Migrant Clinicians Network, ACCESS Community Health Network, state Primary Care Associations, America's Essential Hospitals, and the Medicaid Health Plans of America. The CCDTR will have a Regional/National Resource Core for Improving Diabetes Outcomes in Community Health Centers led by MWCN with the collaboration of its partners. MWCN and CCDTR have deep combined research and implementation strengths. In conjunction with other regional and national partners, the collaboration has widespread reach and connections. Tremendous opportunities exist to perform diabetes translation research in health centers and to disseminate findings regionally and nationally. Most MWCN-CCDTR projects capture the heart of translational research - integrating research with implementation science in a collaborative manner that has practical utility to end-users of the information. The Core will improve diabetes translation research and diabetes care and outcomes in safety-net populations. The specific aims of the Improving Diabetes Outcomes in Community Health Centers Core are to: 1) Serve as a regional and national resource to improve diabetes translation research in community health centers and other safety net settings led by the MidWest Clinicians' Network in collaboration with the National Association of Community Health Centers and other partners. 2) Determine best practices for diabetes care in community health centers, identify research voids, and facilitate implementation and evaluation projects.