What We Do

Simply put, we change behaviors. We change clinician behavior through educational programs that detail new, innovative, evidence-based methods and treatments that can be incorporated into their everyday practices. We change patient and caregiver behavior through educational programs that empower them with the knowledge and resources they need to take charge of their own health. And we do it at the community level where behavior change has the most widespread and pervasive impact.

Changing Behavior at a Community Level

Developed in 2001, Advances in Care is a unique, collaborative, public/private model for addressing health disparities through education. From programs that offer free HIV testing and referrals to programs that help improve quality of life for people with cancer, Advances in Care programs bring together leading academic and thought leaders with community advocates, health providers and consumers with wonderful results.

• Bridge the gap between public and private partners
• Leverage corporate support to help advance public health objectives
• Disseminate high quality educational material developed by appropriate partners to targeted constituencies
• Engage local stakeholders through community coalition model
• Provide turnkey program management, relieving local partners of logistical burdens

The Advances model is applicable to a wide range of therapeutic areas. Since 2002, Advances programs have reached more than 3 million patients and 60,000 physicians, nurses and pharmacists in 35 cities with healthcare information on breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, hemophilia, HIV/AIDS, obesity, rabies, tetanus, women’s health and other therapeutic areas. This community-based partnership model engages and coordinates with local stakeholders and builds on existing community infrastructure in order to increase outreach to community members and to ensure sustainability over time. All Institute initiatives include evaluation of outcomes as a way to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of its programs. In keeping with its collaborative model, the Institute gives special emphasis to partnerships with nonprofit organizations and academic institutions.

Evolution of Advances in Care and the Institute for Health Protection

2001 – 2005: DIABETES INITIATIVES

Advances in Care debuted with a national diabetes
initiative designed to help stem the epidemic growth of this silent disease. A combined effort among multiple partners, the program objectives were to provide education for physicians, patients and caregivers in prevention, signs and symptoms, testing and diagnosis, counseling and follow up. With over 40 events in 10 cities, Advances in Diabetes Care reached over 29,000 physicians and over 2 million patients. Click here for the full case study.

2003: HIV/AIDS INITIATIVE

2003: HEMOPHILIA PROGRAM

2003 – 2004: TETANUS PROGRAM

2004: BLEEDING DISORDERS

2004: DIABETES PROGRAM

2004: HIV/AIDS INITIATIVE

This initiative created an information network that facilitated communication among healthcare professionals that treat people with HIV/AIDs

2004: OBESITY INITIATIVE

Health education programs for African American women on weight management, held at local churches, YWCAs, community health centers and public health clinics, cosponsored by Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC), University of Illinois Medical Center (UIMC), and the Chicago Urban League (CUL)

2004: RABIES

2004: ED SEPSIS

2004: LATINO DIABETES

Health education programs for Latinos and the clinicians who treat them. Numerous live programs supported by Univision, the leading Spanish-language television network in the US. Programming reached over 90% of Latino households, and 1 million people received diabetes information.

2006: ESTABLISHMENT OF IHP

Advances in Care proved to be a unique model for improving health care at the community level, and we became convinced that it could be expanded to do make an even greater impact. The Institute for Health Protection was established by a group of concerned, public-minded thought leaders as a collaborative dedicated to preserving and improving health status, preventing or delaying the onset of disease or disability, and improving the management of chronic conditions, especially in underserved communities.

2006: PRENATAL CARE FOR MINORITY WOMEN

Meeting the Challenges of Prenatal Care in Minority Women: A Case Study Approach
This program for physicians and nurses provides strategies for managing pregnancy in minority women, as well as evaluating racial and ethnic socio-cultural issues and needs.

2007: INFECTIOUS DISEASE

A Case-Study Approach to Preventing and Managing Bloodborne Infections
This program for E.D. nurses provides up-to-date information on the prevalence and incidence of certain bloodborne infections in the Emergency Department (ED), associated risk factors for transmission, and management and prevention guidelines.

2007: HEART DISEASE IN MINORITY WOMEN

2007: HIV / AIDS PARTNERSHIP

Educational symposium on the role of the Black church in combating HIV/AIDS in the African American Community.

This program brought together leaders from Black churches and ministries to frankly discuss and address the issue of HIV/AIDS in our communities. In conjunction with the symposium, major HIV testing initiative was conducted simultaneously at three African American churches and five homeless shelters. A total of 1105 individuals were tested from among Atlanta’s homeless population. This extraordinary event was supported by more than 100 well-trained volunteers serving as HIV pre- and post–test counselors.

Building on the success of this initiative, IHP is establishing a national clergy network committed to addressing HIV/AIDS in their communities. This network will provide the backbone for educational activities around the country, and over time will be utilized to address additional health issues such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

2007: BREAST CANCER

The goal of this program, Advances in Quality of Life for the Breast Cancer Patient, is to provide education for physicians, pharmacists and nurses who treat breast cancer. The content will focus on quality of life issues facing their patients, including a review of the scope of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), pain, menopause-like symptoms and fatigue. The program will discuss prevention, management guidelines, and various treatment options.

2007: HEMOPHILIA

Immune Tolerance Induction: Searching for an Optimal Protocol
This program for hematologists and oncologists examines the epidemiology of inhibitors in patients with hemophilia, review currently employed protocols for immune tolerance induction (ITI), and explore means to improve ITI outcomes.

2007: CARDIAC SURGERY

Cardiac Surgical Outcomes & the Role of Antithrombin
This symposium for anesthesiologists and perfusionists provides information on the role of antithrombin in cardiac operations with cardiopulmonary bypass and the implications of low antithrombin levels on surgical outcomes. It examines the role of genetics and the inflammatory response on specific outcomes and discusses key areas for future research.

2007: PHARMACY

Ounce of Prevention: Practical Approaches to Post Exposure Prophylaxis
Educational program for registered pharmacists focused on the need and appropriateness of active and passive immunization in disease states with both immune globulin and vaccine/toxoid availability.

2007: IMMUNE DEFICIENCY

The Appropriate Use of Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG)
Given in conjunction with the Infusion Nurses Society, this program presents an overview of immunoglobulin IgG antibody products and the conditions for which IVIG/SCIG is prescribed.