Fit4D and Healthfirst Partner to Deliver Ground-breaking Diabetes Program for New York’s High Risk and Underserved Spanish Speaking Populations
New York, New York (PRWEB) July 08, 2014 -- Fit4D© (http://www.fit4d.com) announced today that it is partnering with Healthfirst to deliver an evidence-based diabetes program to Healthfirst’s Spanish speaking members with poorly managed diabetes in New York City. This program will utilize the Fit4D Pathways™ technology platform and diabetes-expert clinicians to improve health measures and medication adherence while reducing the costs associated with diabetes. This landmark initiative is a critical part of addressing the impact of diabetes within New York’s Spanish-speaking community. According to the American Diabetes Association, almost 28 percent of Spanish-speaking New Yorkers have diabetes.*
The Fit4D program will launch in the Fall of 2014 and is made possible through a grant by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). The initiative brings significant value to NYC through job creation and improved health for Spanish-speaking New Yorkers with diabetes.
Managing diabetes is complicated. Effective diabetes management involves motivating patients to take their prescribed medications, integrating healthy lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, weight management etc.), coping with the ongoing emotional stresses of the disease, and using measurement tools such as blood glucose meters. Achieving these outcomes is made more challenging as every patient starts in a different place, continues on their own different journey, responds differently to messaging and has different hurdles. The challenge of providing effective and on-going support is compounded for most healthcare professionals who have limited time during appointments.
Fit4D Pathways™ is a web based interactive platform that includes workflow, data capture, device integration and reporting designed to increase adherence to therapy and improve health outcomes on a large scale without losing personalized human one to one connections. The platform responds to each individual and fashions a tailored approach that works for them, connecting participants with their own diabetes-expert clinician (coach), delivers targeted content (written, video, email, text messaging, social media) and creates community through virtual events (webinars, support groups, open forums).
The Fit4D Pathways uses claim and pharmacy data, including A1C and medication adherence information, to guide members along their individual Pathway and escalate issues to their Fit4D coaches. Health metrics are continually captured to populate visually rich dashboards and provide data for the study of results. Lower A1c levels have been shown to lower diabetes complication rates (cardiovascular, blindness, neuropathy, etc.) and medical costs.
“Healthfirst is dedicated to providing its members with the effective tools and support that they need in order to cope with the daily challenges of living life with diabetes,” said Dr. Susan Beane, Healthfirst VP and Medical. “Our partnership with Fit4D will enable us deliver an innovative and scalable program to help our Spanish-speaking members with diabetes and should reduce associated healthcare costs.”
“Poorly managed diabetes is a costly problem. The 18 percent of the population with poorly managed diabetes accounts for 40 percent of diabetes costs while also having a large impact on payer and ACO performance ratings,” said David Weingard, Fit4D Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to launch this program with Healthfirst, an organization that is committed to the health of its members.”
About Fit4D
Fit4D delivers scalable and effective patient programs through an optimized mix of its Pathways technology platform and human-based touch points. The Fit4D coaching team, comprised of dietitians, exercise physiologists, nurses, and social workers, many of whom are also certified diabetes educators (CDEs), focuses on empowering people with diabetes to live rich, healthy and fulfilling lives. Improving the lives of people with diabetes worldwide is Fit4D’s mission and purpose for being.
Fit4D’s global 500 clients include pharmaceutical, insurer and weight management companies. Fit4D has also engaged in numerous joint initiatives with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, American Diabetes Association, and Diabetes Research Institute.
For more information on Fit4D, please find us on-line at http://www.fit4d.com or join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fit4dcoaching or email Sherri Isaak at sisaak(at)fit4d(dot)com.
About Healthfirst
Healthfirst is a not-for-profit managed care organization with more than one million members of the diverse communities of downstate New York. We are ranked the #1 Quality Medicaid Plan in NYS. We treat our Medicaid, Family Health Plus, Child Health Plus, Medicare Advantage, and Managed Long Term Care members with the same care and attention we would want for our own families. We are also a proud participant in NY State of Health: The Official Health Plan Marketplace. For more information, visit the company's websites at http://www.healthfirst.org and http://www.healthfirstnj.org.
Contact
Laura Vialva
212-801-1451
718-764-3517 (cell)
Lvialva(at)healthfirst(dot)org
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is the City’s primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. Pilot Health Tech NYC is a program designed to dramatically increase innovation and collaboration within New York City’s health technology sector. To learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, or visit our blog.
Sherri Isaak, Fit4D, http://www.fit4d.com, +1 (866) 411-0254 Ext: 708, [email protected]
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