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Friday, March 29, 2024
NEWS  |  CAMPUS

UF Diabetes Institute receives $1.6 million to bring medical care to patients far from hospitals

<p>Adam Carter, a first year medical student, speaks with diabetes patient Katrina Thomas during the free medical clinic hours at the UF Family Practice Medical Group on Thursday.</p>

Adam Carter, a first year medical student, speaks with diabetes patient Katrina Thomas during the free medical clinic hours at the UF Family Practice Medical Group on Thursday.

UF researchers will be working with Stanford University to improve healthcare access to Type 1 diabetes patients who don’t have access to hospitals.

UF Diabetes Institute received a $1.6 million donation on Jan. 9 for the collaborative project. Type 1 diabetics can find it difficult to go to recommended endocrinologist appointments every three to four months because of the cost and distance to travel to health care, said Dr. Michael Haller, UF professor and chief in the department of pediatrics.

“It’s an opportunity to provide better care for patients living with a chronic disease that requires 24/7 management,” Haller said. “Type 1 diabetes is tough even for the patients that have great access to great care.”

The money was given to the UF Diabetes Institute by the Leona M. & Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to fund a state-wide, 18-month pilot project with Stanford University. Haller said more funds could be donated again if the project is successful. The project is aimed at training primary care physicians across the state to treat patients who live far away in innovative ways.

The research does not emphasize the direct treatment of patients, but instead focuses on increasing their access to care through tools such as telemedicine, or video conferencing, which would not require a physical hospital visit. Haller said telemedicine is more economic and efficient for both patients and healthcare providers.

The telemedicine project is based on a model of care called Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, which is being piloted in Florida and California due to high rates of diabetes within the states’ populations of underserved patients. Haller said UF is where research will stem.

“The idea of an ECHO is places with expertise, like us, serve as a hub,” Haller said. “If we can prove that this works, theoretically, this would be something that would be used nationwide.”

Contact Elliott Nasby at enasby@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter at @_ElohEl.

Adam Carter, a first year medical student, speaks with diabetes patient Katrina Thomas during the free medical clinic hours at the UF Family Practice Medical Group on Thursday.

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