Inter-professional Primary Care Practices Addressing Diabetes Prevention and Management*

Imagine a partnership of university and community which addresses the needs of the community to keep its citizens healthy as long as possible. Through a planning exercise to address the community’s needs in primary health care and health promotion, the university has developed key strategic directions to help support the needs of the community it serves. This inter-professional education and practice initiative serve to change health care delivery through the education of practitioners who, by working in teams with the community, will actively improve health and health outcomes. With specific interest in the explosion of diabetes within the surrounding community, teams of students and faculty are working to improve high risk groups for diabetes by involvement in health education, physical fitness and coaching activities. Through positioning of inter-professional teams in our community engagement center, the prevention and management of this key health issue is addressed. This center is located in a high poverty and immigrant area, with a high predisposition for diabetes. Academic and community partnerships for action are highlighted in this paper