BOSTON (September 18, 2013) – Harvard Medical School-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center, the world's largest provider of diabetes focused clinical care, research and education and the producer of Diabetes Innovation 2013, has joined the Clinton Foundation to boost efforts to prevent diabetes and to improve treatment quality and reduce costs for those with the disease and its related conditions and complications. 

Joslin will lead diabetes-focused efforts organized by the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Health Matters Initiative (CHMI) and its many innovative "commitment makers” by developing, integrating and administering a Diabetes Prevention and Treatment program as part of CHMI’s chronic disease prevention platform within its national commitment portfolio. 

Established by President Bill Clinton, CHMI works to improve the health and well-being of people across the United States by activating individuals, communities, and organizations to make meaningful contributions to the health of others. The goals of CHMI are to reduce the prevalence of preventable health outcomes, close health inequity and disparity gaps, and reduce health care costs by improving access to key contributors of health for all people.

The Clinton Foundation will co-sponsor and participate in Joslin’s Diabetes Innovation leadership effort, which is capped by the groundbreaking Diabetes Innovation 2013 event taking place on October 3-5 in Washington DC.  Diabetes Innovation 2013 is a convening event for all stakeholders in the diabetes community — public and private purchasers, patients, payers, providers, advocates and suppliers — and the organizations will jointly leverage this platform to encourage and support efforts to develop actionable commitments that will help advance the broader strategy to prevent and treat diabetes.

“Joslin Diabetes Center is extremely excited to offer our immense knowledge base and proven evidence-based clinical and educational IP and resources to the national CHMI effort,” said John L. Brooks III, President and CEO of Joslin Diabetes Center. “We believe this partnership in conjunction with the Diabetes Innovation effort will really boost local and community efforts to turn back this enormous cost and quality of life burden of diabetes, its comorbidities and related conditions.”  

Brooks continued, “Since Diabetes Innovation is more than a conference, but is also a ‘call to action,’ the action-oriented approach to change as supported by CHMI is a perfect fit to accomplish our goals.”

Beyond the Diabetes Innovation effort, Joslin Diabetes Center and CHMI will work collaboratively to activate systems change and individual behavior change for healthier, more productive and efficient communities by: (1) convening key stakeholders to discuss policy and systems strategy related to diabetes prevention; (2) developing commitments from corporations, public agencies, and non-governmental organizations that are aligned with diabetes prevention; and (3) celebrating companies and organizations that achieve improvements in the arena of diabetes prevention and treatment for preventing related illnesses.   

“Joslin Diabetes Center is the preeminent academic source of education and clinical care that works for those with or at risk for diabetes,” according to Ginny Ehrlich, CEO of CHMI.  “We couldn’t have engaged a better partner than Joslin to solidify our efforts in tackling this chronic and costly disease and its many related conditions and complications."

Further information, partners and announcements will be unveiled as the program launches at Diabetes Innovation 2013 in Washington DC on October 3-5.  For more information please visit www.diabetesinnovation.org.