New York State Diabetes Campaign to Host NBA Hall-of-Famer at Urban Health Plan in Bronx, borough ranks among highest in diabetes prevalence in New York City.
Former NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins will make a special appearance with the New York State Health Foundation’s Diabetes Campaign to promote a page from a winning diabetes playbook: screening and prevention, paired with improved patient self-management and better provider care.
Famous for his explosive performance on the court and once called the “The Human Highlight Film,” Wilkins is eager to cast a much-needed spotlight on the diabetes epidemic that is unfolding across the state, with more than 1.8 million suffering from diabetes and up to 4.2 million at risk for the disease.
Wilkins will speak from personal experience about the urgent need for more screening and how patients can better control their diabetes, while New York State Diabetes Campaign Clinical Director Wanda Montalvo and Urban Health Plan CEO Paloma Hernadez will address the new advertising initiative, “Half the Care,” and efforts to ramp up care delivered to diabetes patients in the Bronx and across New York State.
The vent will take place at the Urban Health Plan, Inc., 1065 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10459 (located at the intersection of Southern Boulevard and Westchester Avenue in the South Bronx) on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
About the New York State Diabetes Campaign
The New York State Health Foundation established the New York State Diabetes Campaign to improve clinical care among primary care providers, mobilize communities, and promote policies that will sustain high-quality clinical care and healthy environments. With $35 million investment from the Foundation, the Campaign aims to reverse the statewide diabetes epidemic and significantly improve the health outcomes of New Yorkers with diabetes.
In November 2009, Diabetes Awareness Month, the Campaign launched its first advertising initiative, entitled “Half the Care,” based on a New England Journal of Medicine study finding that diabetes patients receive just 45% of the care they need. Visit here to learn more.
About the New York State Health Foundation
The New York State Health Foundation is a private Foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers. NYS Health has a three-part mission: expanding health insurance coverage, increasing access to high-quality health care services, and improving public and community health by educating New Yorkers about health issues and empowering communities to address them.
About Urban Health Plan
Urban Health Plan (UHP) is a network of federally qualified community health centers based in the South Bronx and Queens. Its mission is to improve the health status of underserved communities. In 2008, UHP served 31,000 patients through 171,000 patient visits at four clinic sites, five school-based clinics, and four off-sites. It has served the Hunts Point, Mott Haven and other surrounding communities of the Bronx since 1974.
In 2006 UHP received the National Exemplary Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce asthma rates in Hunts Point. It has been named one of the top 25 Hispanic not-for-profits in the country by Hispanic Business Magazine for the past three years. In the summer of 2009, UHP was named one of the top 20 community health centers in the country and received the Nicholas E. Davies Award for Excellence from the Health Information Management Systems Society for its excellence in the use of electronic health records.
