Mount Sinai Medical Center - The Diabetes and Cardiovascular Alliance

What is it?

Reducing complications and suffering caused by the diabetes epidemic is a strategic quality objective for 2011/2012 at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. Using feedback from physicians who manage the complexities of this condition, Mount Sinai designed The Diabetes and Cardiovascular Alliance (The Alliance). Its objective is to ensure that diabetes and cardiovascular patient care and education are delivered in a proactive, personalized and sustainable manner to reduce morbidity and mortality, whenever possible, directly in the patient’s existing primary care practice or medical home.

The Alliance offers patients living with diabetes access to a team of Mount Sinai diabetes specialists including an endocrinologist, cardiologist and certified diabetes educator (CDE), whenever possible, in their primary care practice. Collectively, the Alliance provides individuals with ongoing, personalized diabetes assessments between visits with physicians or other health care providers; one-on-one and group patient education; and a team of clinical experts who work directly at the point of care. The Alliance builds bridges between Mount Sinai physicians, CDEs and community physicians serving at-risk patients. Patients are empowered with information so they understand their risks and opportunities, which can result in the best possible health care experience, service, and outcome.

Who is it for?

At-risk individuals in New York City’s metropolitan area.

Why do they do it?

With New York’s obesity rate over 60 percent, diabetes is the state’s most rapidly expanding chronic health condition.

Impact

Currently, 1,200 patients are participating in the Alliance, with an 85 percent retention rate. The Alliance has already been shown to have significantly improved patient and physician satisfaction scores as well as patient care goals outlined by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The Mount Sinai Diabetes Center and select Diabetes Alliance physician practice sites are recognized as a Center of Excellence in Diabetes Self-Management Education by the ADA. Mount Sinai has heavily invested in the clinical infrastructure and expertise required to partner with physicians and health care practitioners who serve patients living with multiple chronic health conditions. It is Mount Sinai’s mission to capitalize on its patient care, research and medical education expertise in order to implement changes that will have far-reaching implications for the health of our nation.

Contact: Abby Schwartz, RN, BSN, MBA
Director of Nursing – Business Development
Telephone: 212-241-6071
E-mail: Abby.Schwartz@mountsinai.org