Positive change in healthcare requires rigorous evidence and strategic influence. In less than a month, we will attend the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, the evidence and influence capital of the diabetes world. This event will mark an important step in our efforts to improve T1D care for everyone.
Evidence. The Blue Circle Health program serves as a real world experiment, testing the hypothesis that better care at a lower cost is achievable. Our infrastructure was designed, from day 1, to turn every interaction between participants and the program into evidence. Dr. Monica Gomberg, our Vice President of Clinical Care, will present this evidence at Scientific Sessions.
Dr. Gomberg will highlight how participants have experienced significant reductions in A1c and diabetes-related distress. She will demonstrate that these results were achieved through a telehealth program caring for a population that, on average, has fewer resources, less education, and lower employment levels than the general public. Most importantly, she will explain that the services we offer are already available or easily reproduced. We do not need billions of dollars or new scientific discoveries to improve and save thousands of lives today. We instead need to update reimbursement policies to make the common-sense services that people need available.
Influence. If evidence alone was enough to improve healthcare, we’d live in a much healthier nation. Change occurs when enough stakeholders understand the problem and advocate for a better way forward. To achieve this, we must intentionally build support for change.
At Scientific Sessions, we will host leaders from the T1D clinical, device, and pharmaceutical communities for the premiere of “Moving the Needle: The Fight to Fix T1D Care” (2 min trailer). This short film shares the powerful stories of the people we serve and demonstrates what is possible when care is redefined to meet the needs of those living with T1D.
During this event, we will also publicly thank the organizations that have joined the Helmsley Charitable Trust in supporting our organization and advancing this movement, including Breakthrough T1D, The Cammett Charitable Fund, Dexcom, Tandem, MiniMed (formerly Medtronic), Beta Bionics, and Insulet. Their logos, along with our policy on industry partnerships, will soon be featured on our website and in future newsletters in recognition of their support. Along those lines, please share two recently posted positions with your networks, a Director and Coordinator of Development.
I’m honored to be able to share these steps on our journey toward lasting, systemic, and overdue improvements in T1D care. Thank you again to each of you for your ongoing support. I’ll close this update and begin our next chapter with the words of Margaret Mead:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Sincerely,
Len D’Avolio, PhD
