University Of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute
The University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute was established in March 2000 to coordinate various clinical, marketing and outcome aspects of diabetes care and support efforts to improve diabetes care for University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) patients.
The Diabetes Institute’s mission is to provide and promote high quality, comprehensive care to those affected by diabetes in western Pennsylvania. The Diabetes Institute unites experts in the areas of endocrinology, education, epidemiology, patient and physician education, clinical care, health economics, behavioral science and rural medicine.
The University of Pittsburgh has a vastly experienced group of investigators, many of whom have participated in the major diabetes clinical trials (DCCT, DPP, Look Ahead, Bari 2D and TRIGGR). The Diabetes Institute has close ties with investigators at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and School of Pharmacy.
Since the Institute’s establishment, collaborative efforts among research investigators, primary care providers and all related diabetes care disciplines have been enhanced.
Linda M. Siminerio, Ph.D., director of the Institute and editor of the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) patient publication Diabetes Forecast, has extensive experience in creating education and training programs for primary care patients. Dr. Siminerio is involved in telemedicine services, which provide quality diabetes care services to those in outlying communities. She has been actively involved in developing video conferencing to provide nutrition education to families in rural areas.
Dr. Siminerio is currently working with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a web-based education program for diabetes. She represents diabetes education globally as senior vice president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). She is responsible for leading the development of the IDF education standards and curriculum and has facilitated validation and training courses in developed and developing countries.
Since primary care physicians provide 90 percent of diabetes care, Dr. Siminerio obtained ADA Recognition for Quality Diabetes Self-Management Education for UPMC hospitals and community-based sites located throughout western Pennsylvania. These sites have served as a conduit for translation of clinical practice guidelines, enhancement of health outcomes and a network to maintain diabetes self-management models.
The University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute represents the largest ADA-recognized site for diabetes self-management education in the United States, serving more than 60,000 individuals with diabetes annually.