Pitt Diabetes Institute a National Model

The University of Pittsburgh's Diabetes Institute has developed a chronic care delivery system that will be utilized at a Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute in California, as well as by Governor Rendell's Chronic Care Commission.

According to Director Linda Siminerio, the approach emphasizes self-management, because with chronic diseases, most critical decisions are made outside the doctor's office. Traditional health care is based on the acute care model, according to Director of Evaluation, Janice Zgibor, which is to take care of a problem. The chronic care model focuses on prevention or delay of complications associated with diabetes.

Siminerio says the last 20 years have brought many new medications and technologies for managing diabetes, but they're only useful if people can afford them and know how to use them.