ATLANTA — The Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) and the American Medical Association (AMA) have launched a collaborative effort designed to prevent type 2 diabetes in Georgia by encouraging physicians in the state to screen applicable patients for prediabetes–the precursor to type 2 diabetes–and refer patients who have prediabetes to a lifestyle change program. Through this joint effort, MAG and AMA aim to educate both physicians and patients in Georgia about the diagnosis and treatment of prediabetes.
“This partnership, which is fully-aligned with MAG’s mission and patient safety agenda, is a major step toward the reduction of diabetes in Georgia–which currently impacts nearly 870,000 adults in our state,” says MAG President Rutledge Forney, M.D.
MAG and AMA are encouraging physicians in Georgia to 1) screen their at-risk patients for prediabetes and 2) refer their patients with prediabetes to an evidenced-based lifestyle change program, particularly a local provider of the National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program (National DPP LCP)–which has been shown to cut a patient’s risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes in half.
Dr. Forney explains that, “This program is designed to bridge the gap between medical practices and the evidence-based lifestyle change programs that are available at the local community level, including ones that are offered in the workplace, the community, at faith-based organizations or online.”
AMA President-elect Patrice A. Harris, M.D., points out that, “Throughout the U.S., a staggering one-in-three people are living with prediabetes, and the vast majority of them are unaware that they have the condition. Using what we’ve learned through our ongoing work with state medical societies, we have the opportunity to get more patients into proven programs that can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.”
Dr. Harris also stresses that, “AMA is pleased to be working with state medical societies, such as MAG, to ensure physicians have the tools they need to identify and treat more patients with prediabetes and improve health outcomes.”
For more information on the National DPP LCP, as well as resources for physicians to screen, test and refer at-risk patients, visit Prevent Diabetes STAT™ – which was launched as part of a national collaboration between the AMA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
