Cambridge and Boston, Mass. (November 12, 2020) – Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) and Joslin Diabetes Center (Joslin) have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore opportunities for Joslin to join BILH. This represents the first step toward reaching a definitive agreement under which Joslin would become a full member of BILH and bring to the system its expertise as a world-renowned center of excellence in diabetes research, education and clinical care.
An agreement between the two organizations would be part of a natural evolution of the decades-long relationship between Joslin and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), part of Beth Israel Lahey Health. Joslin and BIDMC have for many years maintained a broad clinical affiliation, managed shared education programs, and provided a range of clinical services to each other’s patients. Joslin and BIDMC work closely together to provide outstanding subspecialty care in vascular surgery and foot care, as well as for women with diabetes through pregnancy and childbirth. Joslin joining BILH would further expand that relationship across the spectrum of primary care, preventive care, acute care, and population health management.
An affiliation would also catalyze exciting world-class collaboration among investigators from Joslin and BIDMC, with a focus on bringing discoveries made in the lab to patients and ultimately finding a cure for diabetes. In addition to Joslin’s expertise in diabetes research and treatment, BIDMC is a leader in metabolism research, and the two institutions already collaborate closely in the training of future clinical and research leaders. Faculty from Joslin and BIDMC oversee a number of leading clinical trials and research initiatives supported by the National Institutes of Health, foundations and private industry.
“Joslin Diabetes Center is a global leader in diabetes research, education and clinical care,” said Kevin Tabb, MD, president and CEO of Beth Israel Lahey Health. “In coming together, we will be able to further strengthen and extend Joslin’s brand, expertise and innovations to reach many more patients in need of leading-edge diabetes care.”
“Joining BILH will serve to strengthen Joslin’s mission to prevent, treat and ultimately cure diabetes,” said Roberta Herman, MD, president and CEO of Joslin Diabetes Center. “We have worked closely with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for decades, and this agreement presents an opportunity to join a leading health care system and move Joslin’s research, treatment and education protocols to the next level, directly benefiting people with diabetes across a wide geographic and demographic spectrum.”
Because diabetes is a chronic illness, Joslin providers and their patients develop a unique relationship over many years. Joslin’s patients will continue to enjoy those unique relationships at the same time the proposed affiliation fosters the expansion of that level of care for others across the BILH system.
An affiliation would require various state and federal reviews and approvals.
About Beth Israel Lahey Health
Beth Israel Lahey Health is a new health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,000 physicians and 36,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education. For more information, visit www.bilh.org.
About Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center is world-renowned for its deep expertise in diabetes treatment and research. Joslin is dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives. We develop and disseminate innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries throughout the world. Joslin is an independent, non-profit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and one of only 16 NIH-designated Diabetes Research Centers in the U.S. For more information, visit www.joslin.org.
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