AMA announces first phase of initiative to prevent diabetes, CVD

The American Medical Association has announced the first phase of its Improving Health Outcomes Initiative program, with an emphasis on the prevention of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as improving health outcomes for patients, according to a press release.

“Cardiovascular disease accounts for one-third of all deaths in our nation, and one-in-three adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue,” AMA president Jeremy Lazarus, MD, said in a press release. “The toll of these diseases on our nation is staggering – in terms of human suffering and health care costs. The direct and indirect cost of cardiovascular disease and diabetes is more than $535 billion a year.”

Jeremy Lazarus

According to the release, the AMA will partner with the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, a research institute within Johns Hopkins Medicine, to meet and exceed goals of the US Department of Health & Human Services’ Million Hearts Initiative. Their plan is to bring hypertension of 10 million more Americans under control by 2017, according to the release.

Additionally, the AMA will partner with the CDC and the YMCA to increase physician referrals of patients with prediabetes to the evidence-based diabetes prevention programs offered by the organization.

“These are the first steps toward the AMA’s ambitious, long-term goal of achieving measurable improvements in health outcomes for patients in the United States,” Lazarus said. “We look forward to partnering with many individuals and organizations who share these goals.”

For more information:

AMA. Improving Health Outcomes. Accessed April 22, 2013.