American Diabetes Association, Healthy Interactions and Merck Celebrate Major Milestone: 20,000 Diabetes Educators Trained
June 23, 2010
U.S. Diabetes Conversation
Map® Program Reaches More Than 20,000 Diabetes Educators
ALEXANDRIA, CHICAGO AND
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., June 15, 2010 – The American Diabetes Association,
Healthy Interactions Inc., a global leader in health education, and Merck, a
global healthcare leader, are proud to announce that more than 20,000 diabetes educators in
the U.S. have been trained on the U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® tools
and resources.
In 2007, the American
Diabetes Association and Healthy Interactions created a collaboration to
transform how healthcare professionals engage people with diabetes using a
unique set of tools called Conversation Map tools. The approach used in
the Conversation Map programs is one of empowerment through engagement
and directly supports Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME). Rather than
telling people living with diabetes what they need to know, the group-based
program allows participants to come to their own conclusions through
self-discovery and to create customized plans to drive behavior change. Through
Merck's generous sponsorship, the Conversation Map tools have become
established as a widely used means of providing DSME in the United States.
Martha M. Funnell, MS, RN,
CDE, past-president, Health Care & Education, American Diabetes Association
and Co-Director for the Behavioral, Clinical, and Health Systems (BCHS)
Intervention Research Core at the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training
Center commented, “The diabetes Conversation Maps are an important tool to
engage patients in the learning process so that they can remember information
more effectively, and use that information to guide the decisions they must
make on a daily basis regarding their diabetes.”
"Providing patients the
diabetes care they need includes not only effective therapies but also
effective diabetes education," said Sethu Reddy, MD, MBA, Vice-President
and Head of U.S. Medical Affairs, Merck. "Merck is proud to sponsor the
U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map® program, developed by Healthy Interactions in
collaboration with the American Diabetes Association, as part of the Merck
Journey for Control® program. Merck is committed to improving access to
effective diabetes education in order to help improve patient health
outcomes."
Since 2007, the program has
achieved a number of notable milestones. In response to marketplace demand and
through the collaborative efforts with the American Diabetes Association, Merck
and Healthy Interactions expanded their partnership in 2008 to provide Conversation
Map education tools designed and adapted for Spanish-speaking patients. In
2009, additional resources were developed for diabetes educators to use in
one-on-one education sessions in order to equip individuals to continue their
learning experience at home.
Within the first quarter of
2010, the program achieved another major milestone: over 20,000 diabetes
educators have been trained and equipped with U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map®
tools.
Healthy Interactions
co-founder Andrew Leong-Fern explains, “When we first began the U.S. Diabetes Conversation
Map® Program in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association, we
hoped to reach 10,000 diabetes educators over three years. We achieved that
goal in fourteen months. The demand has been incredible and is a testament to
the dedication of these healthcare professionals and to Merck’s commitment to
ensuring that diabetes educators have access to the resources required to
change lives.”
Healthcare professionals can
register online for Conversation Map Program training at www.journeyforcontrol.com.
Diabetes educators receive a complimentary Conversation Map kit at the
end of the training session, and can access online support offerings at www.journeyforcontrol.com.
About Merck
Today's Merck is a global
healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD
outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines,
vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we
work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver
innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing
access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships.
Merck. Be well. For more information, visit www.merck.com.
About Journey for Control
Journey for Control® is
Merck's comprehensive educational program designed to provide patients the
information and tools they need to make lifestyle changes that lead to better
self-management and improved health outcomes. For more information, visit www.JourneyforControl.com.
About the American Diabetes
Association The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading
voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and
advocacy. Founded in 1940, the Association has offices in every region of the
country, providing services to hundreds of communities. For more information,
please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES
(1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these
sources is available in English and Spanish.
About Healthy Interactions,
Inc. A global leader in health education, Healthy Interactions, Inc. is
devoted to driving Personal Health Engagement - our term for helping
individuals commit to healthier actions. We create powerful educational
approaches that inspire valuable insights that change personal health
behaviors. We build partnerships with leading medical and disease associations,
not-for-profit organizations, corporations, and caring healthcare professionals
trained in our approaches, enabling millions of people to take control of their
health and live their best lives. Founded in 2003, Healthy Interactions is
headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA. To learn more, please visit our
website at www.healthyinteractions.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions
of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits
of the merger between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and
operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and
intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements
are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck’s management and
are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
The following factors, among
others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements: the possibility that the expected synergies from
the merger of Merck and Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be
realized within the expected time period; the impact of pharmaceutical industry
regulation and health care legislation; the risk that the businesses will not
be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult
to maintain business and operational relationships; Merck’s ability to
accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of
Merck’s patents and other protections for innovative products; the risk of new
and changing regulation and health policies in the U.S. and internationally and
the exposure to litigation and/or regulatory actions.
Merck
undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional
factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in
the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck’s 2009 Annual Report on
Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).
Press Contacts
Andrew Leong-Fern Healthy
Interactions 419.509.3311 andrewlf@healthyinteractions.com
Justine O'Malley Merck
908.423.2021
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