About UPDI

The Science Behind the PRIDE Program

Using a comprehensive, chronic disease management approach (which uses the Chronic Care Model), PRIDE program redesigned diabetes care systems to create more informed patients who take an active role in managing their diabetes. The program also helps develop a prepared, proactive health care team that works with patients towards improved functional and clinical outcomes.

Research demonstrates that using the Chronic Care Model in community settings is effective in improving clinical and behavioral outcomes for patients with diabetes. The Chronic Care Model is a system that encourages high-quality chronic disease management. The model requires a transformation of health care from a system that is essentially reactive — responding mainly when a person is sick — to one that is proactive and focused on keeping a person as healthy as possible.

The Chronic Care Model addresses all of the basic elements for improving care in health systems at the community, organization, practice and patient levels.

Implementing the Chronic Care Model

As part of the PRIDE Program, innovations in redesigning diabetes care include the addition of diabetes educators in primary care offices. These educators provide diabetes self-management education and nutrition classes. In addition, a clinical information system was established at PRIDE Program sites to help health care providers monitor patient outcomes.