American Diabetes Association, CDC Partner with Beacon Communities on mHealth IT Campaigns

The American Diabetes Association (Alexandria, Va.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) in an effort to inform a nationwide program to increase the use of health information technology (IT). As was announced at a press conference at the American Diabetes Association's 71st Scientific Sessions, this work will help individuals better prevent and manage diabetes and its complications, with a focus on campaigns that will be launched by ONC grantees this fall in Detroit and New Orleans.

The Beacon Community Cooperative Agreement Program—a three-year capstone project of the ONC—provides funding to 17 diverse communities throughout the U.S., from Maine to Hawaii, with higher than average health IT adoption. Beacon Communities are regional health IT "innovation hubs" aiming to use health IT to improve health care outcomes in 17 diverse communities.

Starting this fall, two of these communities—Southeast Michigan Beacon Community in Detroit, Mich. and the Crescent City Beacon Community in New Orleans, La.—will launch new public health campaigns leveraging mobile health (mHealth) technology to help individuals assess their risk of type 2 diabetes and provide them with timely, relevant health information and access to local health and wellness resources. Both cities are partnering with Voxiva, a leading mHealth provider, to develop and provide these services.