Photo by Matt Schorr
Rhonda Switzer from Interfaith Dental Clinic discusses oral health and diabetes at a Diabetes Improvement Project meeting.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Rhonda Switzer from Interfaith Dental Clinic and Josh Southards from Faith Family Medical Center discussed the needs for multi-disciplinary solutions at a Diabetes Improvement Project (DIP) meeting held Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance (MVA).
The DIP meets each month at the MVA office, with staff members, clinical directors and CEOs from each member clinic attending to share and discuss data. The current emphasis is directed at asking each clinic to define its patient flow and systematics of care.
Switzer said diabetes and oral health were biodirectional and should be approached as such. Uncontrolled diabetes, she explained, can lead to health issues like gum disease, gingivitis and more. She believed dentists should work in tandem with physicians by screening for things like dysglycemia, which refers to abnormalities in blood glucose levels.
Switzer mentioned two vital resources available to Tennesseeans:
Photo by Matt Schorr
Josh Southards of Faith Family Medical Center describes Diabetes Day to those gathered at a Diabetes Improvement Project meeting.
Southards told those gathered at the MVA that the need for multi-disciplinary solutions prompted his institution to launch, and this year expand, Diabetes Day. Initially, held on a quarterly basis, Faith Family Medical Center made the decision in 2016 to begin holding the event six times a year.
"To say we embrace the multi-disciplinary approach on these days doesn't quite paint the full picture," he said. "On a typical Diabetes Day, you might find MAs, nurses, pharmacists and pharmacy students, PAs, NPs, family practice doctors, optometrists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, dental hygienists, dentists and dieticians."
The goal of Diabetes Day, Southards noted, is to reduce barriers and excuses for people to receive the services they need.
About the Diabetes Improvement Project
The Safety Net Consortium of Middle Tennessee initiated the Diabetes Improvement Project in the fall of 2009. The goal of the project is to normalize as near as possible the clinical outcomes of patients with diabetes who attend the 21 consortium sites:
- Faith Family Medical Center
- Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center
- Nashville General Hospital at Meharry
- Saint Thomas Health Community Clinics (South and West)
- Siloam Family Health Center
- Neighborhood Health
- University Community Health Services
About the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
The Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance develops and supports collaborative initiatives and programs in biomedical research and clinical science training. It has assisted in establishing joint and shared residencies in surgery, pediatrics, ophthalmology, orthopedics, urology, cardiology and other medical specialties. Since its founding in 1999, the Alliance has provided opportunities for collaboration between Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and for collaboration with projects in the community. The elimination of health disparities between the majority and minority populations has continued to be a major focus of Alliance projects.