BOSTON, Sept. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvard Medical School-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center, the world's largest provider of diabetes-focused clinical care, research and education and the producer of Diabetes Innovation 2013, has joined the Clinton Foundation to boost efforts to prevent diabetes and to improve treatment quality and reduce costs for those with the disease and its related conditions and complications. 

Joslin will lead diabetes-focused efforts organized by the Clinton Foundation's Clinton Health Matters Initiative (CHMI) and its many innovative "commitment makers" by developing, integrating and administering a Diabetes Prevention and Treatment program as part of CHMI's chronic disease prevention platform within its national commitment portfolio.

Established by President Bill Clinton, CHMI works to improve the health and well-being of people across the United States by activating individuals, communities, and organizations to make meaningful contributions to the health of others. The goals of CHMI are to reduce the prevalence of preventable health outcomes, close health inequity and disparity gaps, and reduce health care costs by improving access to key contributors of health for all people.

The Clinton Foundation will co-sponsor and participate in Joslin's Diabetes Innovation leadership effort, which is capped by the groundbreaking Diabetes Innovation 2013 event taking place on October 3-5 in Washington DC.  Diabetes Innovation 2013 is a convening event for all stakeholders in the diabetes community -- public and private purchasers, patients, payers, providers, advocates and suppliers -- and the organizations will jointly leverage this platform to encourage and support efforts to develop actionable commitments that will help advance the broader strategy to prevent and treat diabetes.

"Joslin Diabetes Center is extremely excited to offer our immense knowledge base and proven evidence-based clinical and educational IP and resources to the national CHMI effort," said John L. Brooks III, President and CEO of Joslin Diabetes Center. "We believe this partnership in conjunction with the Diabetes Innovation effort will really boost local and community efforts to turn back this enormous cost and quality of life burden of diabetes, its comorbidities and related conditions." 

Brooks continued, "Since Diabetes Innovation is more than a conference, but is also a 'call to action,' the action-oriented approach to change as supported by CHMI is a perfect fit to accomplish our goals."

Beyond the Diabetes Innovation effort, Joslin Diabetes Center and CHMI will work collaboratively to activate systems change and individual behavior change for healthier, more productive and efficient communities by: (1) convening key stakeholders to discuss policy and systems strategy related to diabetes prevention; (2) developing commitments from corporations, public agencies, and non-governmental organizations that are aligned with diabetes prevention; and (3) celebrating companies and organizations that achieve improvements in the arena of diabetes prevention and treatment for preventing related illnesses.

"Joslin Diabetes Center is the preeminent academic source of education and clinical care that works for those with or at risk for diabetes," according to Ginny Ehrlich, CEO of CHMI.  "We couldn't have engaged a better partner than Joslin to solidify our efforts in tackling this chronic and costly disease and its many related conditions and complications".

Further information, partners and announcements will be unveiled as the program launches at Diabetes Innovation 2013 in Washington DC on October 3-5.  For more information please visit www.diabetesinnovation.org.

About Joslin Diabetes Center

Joslin Diabetes Center, based in Boston, Massachusetts, undertakes diabetes research, clinical care, education and health and wellness programs on a global scale. Joslin is dedicated to ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives and offers real progress in preventing and curing diabetes.  Joslin is an independent, nonprofit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and is recognized worldwide for driving innovative solutions in diabetes prevention, research, education, and care.

Our mission is to prevent, treat and cure diabetes.  Our vision is a world free of diabetes and its complications. For more information, visit www.joslin.org.

About the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation

The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation builds partnerships of great purpose between businesses, governments, NGOs, and individuals everywhere to deliver lasting solutions and empower people to live better lives. Because of our work, 18,000 American schools are providing kids with healthy food choices in an effort to eradicate childhood obesity; 21,000 African farmers have improved their crops to feed 30,000 people; 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions are being reduced in cities worldwide; more than 5,000 people have been trained in marketable job skills in Colombia; more than 5 million people have benefited from lifesaving HIV/AIDS medications; and members of the Clinton Global Initiative have made nearly 2,300 Commitments to Action to improve more than 400 million lives around the world.

Learn more at http://www.clintonfoundation.org, and on Twitter @ClintonFdn.

About the Clinton Health Matters Initiative

The Clinton Health Matters Initiative (CHMI) works to improve the health and well-being of people across the United States by activating individuals, communities, and organizations to make meaningful contributions to the health of others. CHMI works to implement evidence-based systems, environmental and investment strategies, with the goals of ultimately reducing the prevalence of preventable diseases, reducing health care costs associated with preventable diseases, and improving the quality of life for people across America. CHMI works to activate individuals to lead healthier lives by providing a platform to access local, scalable solutions for healthy change agents; advance community health by closing gaps in health disparities and focusing efforts in underserved areas; and, engage the private sector through commitments to improve the health and well-being of the nation. These successes are showcased each January at the Health Matters conference, where national thought leaders convene to discuss ways in which individuals, communities, and corporations can contribute to the health of others.

SOURCE Joslin Diabetes Center

RELATED LINKShttp://www.joslin.org