Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership

    The Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership has taken the lead in organizing the Diabetes Ten City Challenge™ in Northwest Georgia.  After committing to the program in September 2005, the group recruited four local employers, Dalton Utilities, Hamilton Health Care System, The City of Dalton and Whitfield County to participate in the first-year pilot, anticipating future expansion.
    The Diabetes Ten City Challenge™ is an innovative program that employers and communities can use to fight diabetes and reduce health care costs.  Dalton is one of 10 cities such as Honolulu, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Milwaukee to work with employers to establish a voluntary health benefit for employees and dependents.  The program provides employee incentives and helps people take control of diabetes by working with pharmacist coaches, physicians and diabetes educators.
    Sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation with support and funding from GlaxoSmithKline, the Diabetes Ten City Challenge™, is modeled after two other highly successful programs: the Asheville Project (1997-present) and Project ImPACT: Hyperlipidemia™ (1996-1999).