Register Now for 10th Anniversary Meeting on Dec 4

Come have dinner with the Diabetes Coalition on Thursday, Dec 4 at the newly-remodeled Renaissance St. Louis Hotel Airport.  Author and economist Dr. Eric Finkelstein will be delivering a thought-provoking presentation based on his 2008 book: The Fattening of America : How the economy makes us fat, if it matters, and what to do about it.  You will not want to miss his talk… especially while enjoying a fine meal.  The meeting will also include an open discussion about the future of the Diabetes Coalition.  Space is limited.  No fee, but reservations are required.  Register today at www.diabetescoalition.org.  You can download an official invitation right here: SLDC Meeting Invite Dec 4 2008.  While a few corporations are helping to offset the program costs as exhibitors, invididuals and organizations are invited to purchase ads in a souvenir program ($25 to $200) …. What a deal!  Be creative, if you’d like.  Place your ad order here.  Here’s to another 10 years of growth and development for the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition!!!  Wow, 10 years…. and still here.  Kudos to everyone.

Pay For Perfomance Works to Improve Diabetes Care in Bronx

Outcome-based medicine, with comparison scores and monetary incentives, works for 14,000 diabetes patients at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. One standard measure of blood sugar, HbA1C, is kept below a recognized level of 9 in 85% of patients in the special program, vs 67-75% of patients in other Bronx-area programs.  With diabetes a national epidemic and the prevalence of the disease as high as 18 percent in the South Bronx, a unique physician “pay-for-performance” program at Montefiore Medical Center has reduced blood sugar and cholesterol levels significantly among many of this borough’s diabetes population. Physicians in each of Montefiore Medical Group’s (MMG) 21 community-based centers are given targets to reach for blood sugar and cholesterol levels in their diabetes patients and can be rewarded up to $3,200 annually for attaining these targets, an incentive paid for by the MMG administration.  Maybe a little pay for performance could help move diabetes care outcomes in the St Louis area?  Maybe something else might work better… Read the full story here.

Free Diabetes Screenings Near You by SLUCare

Each day during the week of Nov. 3, SLUCare physicians will be offering free diabetes screenings at five different SLUCare locations around town. The screenings will include a blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure test.  The screenings are open to the first 100 people to register each day and will be offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:

Nov. 3     University Club Tower, 1034 S. Brentwood, Suite 1120
Nov. 4     Anheuser-Busch Institute, 1755 S. Grand Boulevard
Nov. 5     Des Peres Medical Arts Pavilion, 2325 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 100
Nov. 6     Bellevue Medical Arts Building, 1031 Bellevue Avenue, Suite 400
Nov. 7     Doctors Office Building, 3660 Vista, Room 104

Advanced registration is not required, but is recommended. To register, call (314) 977-4440.

A1C > 5.4% Signals Undiagnosed Diabetes

At-risk individuals with an HbA1c test level of 5.4% or greater can signal undiagnosed diabetes and certainly prediabetes, according to new study findings. At-risk individuals with an HbA1c test level ≥6.1% are more likely to have undiagnosed diabetes, according to new study findings. Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, assistant professor of surgery, division of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, stated that, “There are many advantages in efficacy of HbA1c vs. fasting glucose or glucose tolerance testing. Our results provide additional support that HbA1c can be an effective method to identify undiagnosed diabetes in at-risk patients.” Ginde and colleagues evaluated the predictive validity of HbA1c as a screening test in 6,723 NHANES 1999-2004 participants. The estimated prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes (fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL) in the United States population was 2.8%, or 5.5 million people. The concluded that HbA1c is very effective in screening for undiagnosed diabetes when patients are stratified into risk groups. Risk factors and independent predictors of undiagnosed diabetes were older age, male sex, black race, hypertension, elevated waist circumference, elevated triglycerides and low HDL. More than half of high-risk individuals with HbA1c ≥6.1% had undiagnosed diabetes. Among those with a combination of risk factors, HbA1c levels as low as 5.4% can signal undiagnosed diabetes, according to Ginde. Diabetes can be reliably excluded with HbA1c <6.1% in moderate-risk patients and <5.5% in high-risk patients.
In August, a consensus panel recommended HbA1c testing be used as a frontline method for identifying patients at risk for diabetes. Additionally, the panel recommended that HbA1c ≥6.5% be accepted as a criterion for diagnosing diabetes. These findings suggested an even lower cut-off point.

HbA1c Level Signaling Undiagnosed Diabetes in At-Risk Patients

≥ 6.1% Requires confirmatory fasting plasma glucose 5.5% to 6% May exclude diabetes in moderate-risk but not high-risk groups ≤5.4% May reliably exclude diabetes

Achieving Affordable Quality: BHC Annual Meeting on Nov 20

The St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition (BHC) invites Diabetes Coalition members to its annual meeting at the Ritz Carlton on Thur, Nov 20, 7:30 – 11:45 AM. The program titled Achieving Affordable Quality includes an all-star line up of expert presenters including … Ascension Health’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Pryor, Virginia Mason Health System’s President and CEO Dr. Gary Kaplan, and teams from St. John’s Mercy and Boeing Corporation (who have collaborated to implement Lean management principals to increase efficiency). Conference fees are $15 (BHC members), $30 (non-members) and $45 (on-site). RSVP by contacting Melanie Watson at 314-721-7800 or mwatson@stlbhc.org. Download the meeting agenda here: bhc-annual-meeting-community-invite-11_20_08.

The BHC annual meeting, which was attended by about 200 folks last year, is a great way to get informed about issues concerning purchasers of health care, network with business and community leaders, and see nationally-recognized speakers (without having to travel to a conference elsewhere).

SAVE THE DATE: December 4, 2008 (Coalition Meeting)

On Thursday, Dec 4, 5:00 PM the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition will hold a meeting for all members, stakeholders, etc.  Mark your calendar now.  Share the news.  Author and economist Dr. Eric Finkelstein will be delivering a thought-provoking presentation based on his 2008 book: The Fattening of America : How the economy makes us fat, if it matters, and what to do about it.  You will not want to miss his talk.. as well as other parts of the evening, like open discussion about the future of the Diabetes Coalition.  More information about how to RSVP, sponsorship, and location will be released soon.  (We are still trying to lock-down a location.)

33 People Attend 3rd Diabetes Leadership Inst. of 2008

Eariler today (on a beautiful autumn Saturday) the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition hosted its 3rd Diabetes Leadership Institute of 2008 at the Missouri History Museum.  The 3-hour program was attended by 33 participants, many who were unable to attend the sold-out event in August.  The participants enjoyed a hands-on learning program about taking control of diabetes… and helping others do the same too.  Garry Tobin, MD, Joan McGinnis, MSN, CDE and Eric S Armbrecht, PhD led the group sessions.  The program was a huge success with the help of Tish Singer who assured all the details were in order.  Special thanks go out to Michelle Hasket from Roche who helped demonstrate proper set-up and use of a blood glucose meter.  Comments, questions and interactions among participants clearly showed how valuable programs like the Diabetes Leadership Institute are in the community.  Plans are underway for a series of Diabetes Leadership Institute programs in 2009.  Special thanks to all of the participants who came and shared their questions, comments and experiences. 

Zoom Zoom Zoom: Food Drive

Centennial Christian Church and Feed the Children are organizing a Food Drive for 300 families in St. Louis. First, the need volunteers to help with the food drive. You can sign up by sending your contact information to St. Louis Diabetes Coalition friend, supporter and former project staffer Ms. Connie Wilson at wilsoc4444@sbcglobal.net. Second, if you know of a family in need, forward that family’s information to Centennial Christian Church (Attention: Debbie Carter) via email: nuvybe@yahoo.com and they will work directly with the families. Note: They cannot accept any referrals after October 21.

Call 2-1-1

The new 2-1-1 telephone number is now available to help Missourians find fast, free and confidential help for health and human services. But, do not look for “Diabetes Management Clinics” there… none are listed.  Myrtle Hillard Davis Comprehensive Community Health Center is the only site listed as offering “Chronic Disease Self Management Programs” for people with diabetes.  The 2-1-1 call center, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week is being offered throughout Missouri by the United Way of Greater St. Louis.  2-1-1 connects people to needed health and human service organizations and volunteer opportunities in their communities. Missouri will become the 21st state to have complete coverage. More information and resources, including a searchable database of services available can be found at www.211missouri.org.  If you are a provider with diabetes care services… please get listed at http://www.211missouri.org/agenciespage.aspx.

Eat with the ADA and Dr. Dagogo-Jack on Nov 5

The American Diabetes Association (St. Louis) is hosting its annual dinner on Wed, Nov 5 at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet.  Doors (and bar) open at 5:30 PM. Dinner begins at 6:30 PM. Program begins at 7:30 PM. Sam Dagogo-Jack, MD will deliver the keynote. Dr. Dagogo-Jack is a past president of ADA St Louis… but now calls Memphis home where he works as Program Director for the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Cost: $30. Reservations recommended. Download the invite or RSVP to eclay@diabetes.org by Oct 31.