- Free, comprehensive virtual clinical care, education, and support program for adults with type 1 diabetes
- The program serves as an extension of participants’ existing care teams and ensures continuity of care
- The organization hopes to inform new care models and policies that remove barriers to healthcare
BOSTON, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Blue Circle Health, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), announced the expansion of its free, virtual, clinical care, education, and support program for adults with T1D to Iowa. Already operating in nine other states, including Missouri on Iowa’s southern border, this expansion is a key step in growing the organization’s reach in the midwest region. T1D affects more than 2 million people in the US, and many face barriers to the care, education, medication, and supplies needed to manage their condition. Blue Circle Health aims to inform new models of patient-centric care in T1D and potentially other chronic diseases.
Blue Circle Health was founded to help fill the gap between the care people with T1D need and what is available through the traditional health system. Today, only 13 of the 99 counties in Iowa have endocrinologists1, the specialists that play a critical role in caring for people with T1D. Blue Circle Health’s remote care program brings specialist coverage and additional services to all of Iowa. “We’re thrilled to extend our program into Iowa, where it’s difficult for people to access care due to a limited number of endocrinologists and large rural areas,” said Leonard D’Avolio, PhD, chief executive officer of Blue Circle Health. The program is free to all participants thanks to philanthropic funding from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust–a foundation with the mission to help the T1D community live safer, better, and more fulfilling lives.
Blue Circle Health develops a personalized care plan for each participant, tailored to their unique needs, and offers comprehensive multidisciplinary support over a six-month period. Because T1D is a 24/7 condition that is largely self-managed, the program educates and empowers people with T1D to ensure they have the skills, tools, and confidence to manage their condition.
The program:
- Can include endocrinology care, diabetes and nutrition education, peer support, diabetes-focused counseling, assistance with navigating insurance, and referrals to community resources for housing, employment, and food access
- Integrates with participants’ existing in-person care team, providing regular updates to providers to ensure the continuum of care
- Offers access to a prescription assistance program and a free continuous glucose monitor (CGM) trial program to eligible participants
People with T1D over 18 years of age who speak English or Spanish are eligible to enroll.
To sign up directly, refer a person living with T1D, or learn how you can partner with Blue Circle Health, visit www.bluecirclehealth.org/sign-up.
1 GoodRx. Endocrinologist Deserts: A Critical Healthcare Gap for Millions in the U.S. 17 December 2024. https://www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/research/endocrinology-deserts-healthcare-gap?label_override=undefined
