Aetna Awards $50,000 to Grady Health System Foundation

BUSINESS WIRE--Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that it has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Henry W. Grady Health System Foundation in Atlanta.

The grant will help fund the development of D-MAP (Diabetes Management Action Plan), a computerized reminder flow sheet for Grady Health System patients being treated in the system’s diabetes clinic.

“Grady Health System is most appreciative of the support Aetna is providing for our diabetes clinic. This grant will play an important role in assisting our providers as they work to improve patient outcomes,” said Grady Health System President and CEO Pamela Stephenson.

D-MAP is used to quickly organize a snapshot of lab tests, medications and care recommendations made for each diabetes patient over the past 10 visits. Nurses at Grady Memorial Hospital can also view data from the Grady primary care clinic, which many patients also visit. This gives nurses a comprehensive picture that helps them manage patients’ care.

“Aetna is delighted to offer its support for this innovative program,” said Cynthia Follmer, president of Aetna’s Georgia market. “Effective diabetes care requires ready access to all relevant health information about each patient, and we’re excited by the potential of this program to improve the quality and the efficiency of care and deliver improved outcomes.”

Aetna provides health benefits to more than 500,000 people in Georgia.

Grady officials are confident D-MAP will lead to smoother interaction between diabetes patients and those who treat them, said Suzanne Begin Executive Director of the Henry W. Grady Health System Foundation.

“Improved communications between all providers responsible for a patient’s care will lead to better clinical decision-making, and therefore better results for the patient,” said Begin. “This project is designed to put systems in place that will improve the efficiency of Grady’s diabetes care delivery, and, at the same time, enhance patient-provider interaction.”

Founded in 1993, the Henry W. Grady Health System Foundation raises money to provide support to the critical and life saving programs at Grady Health System that are not covered by county and government dollars. To date, the foundation has supported the renovations of the Avon Breast Center, the Teen Services Center and the Jordan / Atwater Employee Wellness Center with philanthropic funds. It is an independently incorporated, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization committed to securing additional resources to support Grady Health System and acting as fiduciary of those funds. Governed by a community-based board of directors, the foundation is comprised of civic and corporate leaders who are committed to the mission of Grady Health System and managed by nonprofit professionals who ensure the proper stewardship of each donation.

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.3 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates.