Connected Health: As '114-year-old start-up,' Joslin aims for bleeding edge

BOSTON—The Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston is a 114-year-old start-up, said John Brooks III, MSBA, president and CEO, speaking at the ninth annual Connected Health Symposium.

When considering whether to expand to the online realm, Brooks said as a mission-driven organization, it is “not appropriate not to help.” Since there are not enough nurse educators for diabetes patients, Joslin is “leveraging the power of electronics, connectivity and mobility to extend our reach and get our expertise in the hands of others.”

Brooks said the organization took a fresh look at itself a couple of years ago, to make sure leadership was clear on its mission and then developed a strategic plan. “At end of day, we’re diabetes experts, not big data or connectivity experts. We know how to take our capabilities and, with our knowledge of diabetes, work with key partners.” They surveyed to learn who was doing what which provided an opportunity to focus on potential partner organizations.

Today, Joslin is experimenting, Brooks said. Initiatives cover the spectrum. For example, one program involves using telemedicine to manage inpatient diabetes programs to ensure that treatment protocols are correct. Since diabetics have a higher risk of hospital-acquired infections, the program focuses on avoiding infection and preventing readmissions. This benefits the hospital, he said, because they share in the economic savings.

Joslin also plans to expand the reach of its new patient portal. And, “we’ve always had a significant weight management program.” Now, the organization is conducting a pilot program designed to take the successful program and put it in the hands of people who don’t have classic medical training. The next generation is to virtualize, Brooks said, with mobile phone apps and other such tools. “That’s the way we’re going to make a dent in this disease. Otherwise, this pandemic is going to overwhelm us.”

“We knew we needed to transform ourselves,” he said. “We think of ourselves as 114-year-old startup. We are the world leader in diabetes so we have to lead.” Joslin even has several joint ventures with other countries, such as India and China. “We don’t want to be an organization that talks about things. We want to do things. The key part of healthcare today ultimately is how we will get paid so we can be on the bleeding edge.”