Title: Implementing Successful Managed Care Models of Healthcare Delivery in a Medically Underserved African American Patient Population with Type 2 Diabetes. ABSTRACT: Despite extensive research and evaluation of numerous programs, the control of type 2 diabetes remains a major health issue for African Americans. Managed care organizations have adopted models of care ranging from trained patient led classes to group outpatient provider visits which have proven successful in the management of patients with chronic illnesses. The focus of this project is to evaluate the acceptability and response of both providers (physicians) and low income medically underserved African American patients with type 2 diabetes in South Carlina to these models. Neither providers nor patients are generally delivering or receiving health care in managed care organizations. We will use focus groups and, ultimately, assess the provider (group visits) and patient participation in these models through a pilot study. Patient and provider acceptance and patients/glycemic control will be analyzed under completion of the pilot and, if the model(s) are found acceptable and successful, a proposal for expansion to a randomized trial in this patient population will be submitted to a foundation or the NIH. If the model(s) are found to unacceptable and/or unsuccessful, a proposal for a randomized trial to study an adapted version of the mode(s), based on barriers discovered during the pilot, will be developed.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 11 publications
