FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 11, 2018
MAG & AMA PROMOTING PROGRAM TO PREVENT TYPE 2 DIABETES
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, including ones that are offered in the workplace, in 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. About MAG
With nearly 8,000 members, MAG is the leading voice for physicians in Georgia. MAG is an advocate for physicians in every practice setting and specialty. Go to www.mag.org for additional information. About the AMA
The American Medical Association is the powerful ally and unifying voice for America’s physicians, the patients they serve, and the promise of a healthier nation. The AMA attacks the dysfunction in health care by removing obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care. It reimagines medical education, training, and lifelong learning for the digital age to help physicians grow at every stage of their careers, and it improves the health of the nation by confronting the increasing chronic disease burden. For more information, visit ama-assn.org. ###
