LETTER FROM THE COURSE DIRECTOR

Dear Potential Preceptorship Participant:

There is no metabolic/cardiovascular disorder that has grown at the same explosive rate as type 2 diabetes, now estimated to affect some 25 million Americans. With the growing number of patients with diabetes and the decreasing number of specialists, primary care providers are left to fill this void. In addition, the increasing burden of diabetes on the healthcare system has forced many payers to focus on programs meant to promote quality of care. For example, the first three measures in the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative all focus on the care delivered to patients with diabetes.

Primary care providers are confronted on daily basis with the many challenges, comorbid conditions, and therapeutic decisions associated with diabetes and with the growing emphasis on diabetes by payers, financial reimbursement is often contingent on the quality of care delivered. A newer understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms as well as innovative strategies to detect, manage and monitor diabetes has also lead to the burgeoning number of pharmacologic options to treat type 2 diabetes. With this in mind, it is not surprising that many health care providers may lack confidence to provide state-of-the-art care to their growing number of patients with diabetes.

To address this pressing need, we have developed an intense 1-week Preceptorship in Type 2 Diabetes that will increase a primary care provider’s confidence and ability to deliver cutting-edge diabetes care, enabling you, or a member of your staff, to be a resource for diabetes care in your practice. Not only will this program provide the opportunity for you, or a staff member, to learn about the latest options for diabetes treatment across specialties, including education from endocrinologists, podiatrists, nutritionists, and others, but also opportunities for hands-on training through actual patient visits under my guidance.

We believe this program can help physicians to make significant, positive changes to improve patient care and outcomes. Please carefully review the program agenda that outlines the day-to-day schedule. We hope you will consider this to be worth the time and financial commitment.

Regards,

Elliot Sternthal, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Director of Outpatient Diabetes Program
Boston Medical Center