Scaling the National Diabetes Prevention Program in Underserved Areas Through Pharmacies

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation today announced it has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to build infrastructure within community pharmacies that will expand access to the National Diabetes Prevention Program's (National DPP) evidence-based lifestyle change program designed to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among adults with prediabetes.

The APhA Foundation, in partnership with The Kroger Co. and Solera Health, was selected by the CDC to implement Project IMPACT: Diabetes Prevention, an innovative program that will deliver the National DPP curriculum to at least 7,500 at-risk adults in underserved communities in the United States over the next five years.

Project IMPACT: Diabetes Prevention, a collaborative effort of the APhA Foundation, The Kroger Co., and Solera Health in cooperation with the CDC, will capitalize on the strengths of each partner to build infrastructure that will optimize delivery of the National DPP's lifestyle change program. Pharmacists, dietitians, and technicians within highly accessible Kroger pharmacy locations will be trained to deliver the CDC recognized National DPP lifestyle change program curriculum to at-risk adults. Solera Health will support community outreach efforts and provide digital technology solutions that will help facilitate delivery of the program. The innovative, hybrid model of care that will be delivered through Project IMPACT: Diabetes Prevention will include a combination of face-to-face, telehealth, and digital technology solutions that will allow providers to tailor the program to meet the needs of the participants and help them successfully complete the diabetes prevention program.

"We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create infrastructure within highly accessible community pharmacies to deliver evidence-based diabetes prevention lifestyle change programs to the people who need it the most", said Benjamin Bluml, RPh Senior Vice President, Research and Innovation of the APhA Foundation. "Working with our partners, The Kroger Co. and Solera Health, we will deliver an innovative model of diabetes prevention care, tailored to meet the needs of the participants, that we believe will help people lead healthier lives."

"More than one out of every three American adults has prediabetes and most are largely unaware. We believe that Kroger is uniquely positioned to connect with people in our communities and offer a personalized solution proven to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes," said Colleen Lindholz, President of Kroger Pharmacy and The Little Clinic. "Through the support of our partners, we will use a novel approach to reach more people, create better engagement, and improve outcomes."

"Solera Health is thrilled to join forces with the American Pharmacists Association Foundation, the CDC and Kroger as we work collectively to expand access to the National DPP," said Brenda Schmidt, CEO, Solera Health. "Our technology platform was purposefully built to connect people with diverse backgrounds and resources, including underserved populations with the National DPP's lifestyle change program that best meets their unique needs and preferences to prevent type 2 diabetes. With Project IMPACT: Diabetes Prevention, multi-modal delivery of the program will increase access which should have a substantial and positive impact on patient engagement and outcomes."

About the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. works to design solutions to medication use problems in America. The APhA Foundation is affiliated with the American Pharmacists Association, the oldest and largest national professional society of pharmacists in the United States established in 1852. The APhA Foundation's mission is to improve health by inspiring philanthropy, research and innovation that advances pharmacists' patient care services.

About The Kroger Co.

At The Kroger Co., we are dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit^SM. We are 443,000 associates who serve eight and a half million customers every day in 2,792 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Our Family of Companies operates an expanding ClickList offering – a personalized order online service – in addition to 2,255 pharmacies, 782 convenience stores, 311 fine jewelry stores, 220 retail health clinics, 1,453 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Our Company has been recognized as one of America's most generous companies for its support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. As a leader in supplier diversity, we are a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable.  

About Solera Health

Solera Health is a preventive care benefits manager that connects patients, payers, and physicians with community organizations and digital therapeutics providers, simply and securely. Solera helps consolidate highly fragmented programs and services into one integrated network, allowing health plans and medical providers to increase consumer participation while lowering associated costs. Solera proactively identifies the "best fit" program provider based on each individual's unique needs and preferences, which has proven to have a significant impact on improved patient outcomes at a fraction of the cost of traditional medical care. For more information, visit Solera Health at www.soleranetwork.com, call 800-858-1714 or follow us on Twitter @SoleraHealth or LinkedIn.

SOURCE American Pharmacists Association Foundation