Diabetes Awareness Month: Controlling Diabetes and Improving Health Outcomes

Centene is deeply committed to helping our members receive access to care for chronic conditions. Among these conditions, diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the U.S. and can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health concerns if uncontrolled. The underlying cause of diabetes varies by type, split between chronic and reversible conditions.

Chronic diabetes is classified as type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In individuals with type 1 diabetes, insulin-producing cells are attacked by the immune system. In individuals with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin. Potentially reversible diabetes includes prediabetes, classified as higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy but may resolve after childbirth.

Centene's outreach and education efforts around diabetes management is multifaceted. A recent partnership between Envolve Health, a subsidiary of Centene, and Modern Healthcare Custom Media, outlined the challenges in diabetes care management. While most U.S. adults with diabetes understand the nature of their condition, education is crucial in ensuring they understand how to manage their diabetes. Comprehensive support is key, enabled by tools that make it easier, such as automated testing strip refills, coaching that offers personalized strategies, and counseling on how to stay on track.

With advancements in health-focused technology, it's become easier to find the right resources to help manage diabetes and continue participating in daily activities. One multi-platform option is Envolve's On.Demand Diabetes™ tool. It's effective, easily scalable, and designed to prevent drastic health events while increasing treatment adherence. Technology-enabled monitoring fosters immediate delivery of information allowing for appropriate interventions while engaging and educating members on how to best manage their disease. The On.Demand program also allows members to use Amazon's Alexa-equipped devices to call a health coach or case manager and receive care alerts or healthcare reminders to stay up-to-date on their care.

Centene continues to lead not only in novel clinical program design, but also in forming partnerships focused on researching debilitating chronic conditions. At the enterprise level, Centene is partnering with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to transform and accelerate research into treatments for Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer, diabetes and obesity. All are common, debilitating and often deadly diseases that affect millions of people worldwide, at all levels of income. With consistent management of chronic conditions, Centene continues to eliminate obstacles preventing individuals from receiving the care they deserve.