The globally renowned interdisciplinary academic health center, The George Washington University Medical Center, announced that it has secured two grants of up to $250,000 each from the McKesson Foundation. In a press release, the university revealed that the funds will be utilized to pursue its Mobilizing for Health initiative, a research program aimed at improving the health of underserved populations with chronic diseases through the use of mobile-phone technology.
In the release, the university authority informed that one of the grants will provide support for a study that will examine the use of SMS messaging to reduce emergency department visits for people with diabetes. The research involves comparative evaluation of the impact of a mobile phone based text messaging system with respect to usual emergency department (ED) practice, on recurrent ED utilization by individuals with diabetes, and in increasing their diabetes self-care practices.
The study involves sending information on diabetes directly to study subjects’ mobile phones through SMS test messaging. The study also allows the subjects to transmit information about their diabetes management to study personnel, to obtain information about their follow-up at their primary care medical practice, and to request additional information. The researchers anticipate that these two way transfer of information between patients and researchers will facilitate improved self-care behaviors among the diabetes patients on the basis of increased familiarity about the disease..
“We are honored to be the recipient of these grants. We know that finding the most effective ways to work with modernized technology to provide education, disease information, and disease management for patients, is important for better health outcomes,” Jeffrey S. Akman, M.D., interim vice provost for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at The George Washington University, noted in a statement.
The second fund will be utilized for the study involving a randomized, controlled trial of a cell phone based software application for patients with diabetes and hypertension. This second study will be led by Samir Patel, M.D., associate professor of medicine, in the division of renal diseases and Hypertension and Richard Katz, M.D., Bloedorn professor of medicine and director in the division of cardiology, at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Almost a year ago, the GW University announced plans to begin construction of a new building for its School of Public Health and Health Services on Pennsylvania Avenue, to be completed in the summer of 2014. In a media release, the university authority noted that the new silver LEED certified building will provide a consolidated home for the school's 1,500 students and serve as a central location for continued research and collaboration with a wide variety of government and non-governmental organizations.
Madhubanti Rudra is a contributing editor for HealthTechZone. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Jennifer Russell
