News
UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine Receives $587,000 Federal Grant
STRATFORD - The Department of Family Medicine at the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford has received a three-year, $587,104 grant from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to develop a program that improves the ability of young physicians to care for patients with diabetes and other chronic diseases. HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.
"More than 90 million Americans, including an estimated 31 percent of all children, live with at least one chronic disease and we expect that to increase to 157 million Americans by the year 2020," said Dr. Frank Filipetto, the vice-chairman of Family Medicine at the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine and the director of this new program. "Individuals in communities that lack consistent access to medical care will be particularly hard hit and this could ultimately prove daunting for physicians who treat this patient population."
With the HRSA grant, the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine will develop, implement and evaluate a residency training program that focuses on delivering effective clinical care that is consistent with current scientific evidence, identifies appropriate community resources that can help meet patient needs, and empowers and prepares patients to manage their health and their health care.
"We expect this new program will help us to improve the training of young physicians, improve the health outcomes and quality of life for individuals with chronic diseases and will also encourage more young physicians to choose to practice primary care in underserved communities," Dr. Filipetto said.
To request an interview with Dr. Filipetto, please contact Jerry Carey, UMDNJ News Service, at (856) 566-6171 or (973) 972-5000.
UMDNJ is the nation's largest free-standing public health sciences university with more than 5,500 students attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and its only school of public health, on five campuses. Last year, there were more than two million patient visits to UMDNJ facilities and faculty at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a mental health and addiction services network.
