Investing in primary care for diabetes
HPP developed materials that set out the need for policymakers to invest in primary care to improve diabetes outcomes and reduce the economic burden of the disease.
Context
Despite being one of the four most common non-communicable diseases in Europe, diabetes is often diagnosed late and not managed effectively.
People with diabetes may have to wait up to six years to receive a diagnosis after the first appearance of symptoms. This inefficiency means that one in three people with diabetes in Europe remains undiagnosed. Further along the care pathway, the ineffective management of diabetes costs European countries millions in health spending and productivity. In fact, diabetes incurs more costs to health systems in Europe than cancer.
There is significant potential to improve diabetes management and reduce diabetes-related costs in primary care. These healthcare providers can facilitate early diagnosis, address inequalities and provide person-centred care. By investing in and strengthening primary care, policymakers have the opportunity to alleviate the burden of diabetes on health systems.
What we’ve achieved
HPP developed a visually engaging slide deck and infographic that position investing in primary care as an opportunity to make diabetes care more efficient, equitable and holistic. The materials feature messages targeted to policymakers, including specific actions to take that would not only enable the cost-effective management of diabetes but also improve patient outcomes.
The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Diabetes Platform has used the materials to generate discussion in meetings and to create a shared narrative among its members. The materials were also published on the EFPIA website on the occasion of the Primary Care Diabetes Europe Conference 2023. Diabetes advocates can use these materials to engage policymakers in investing in primary care.
Key partners and stakeholders
We partnered with the EFPIA Diabetes Platform to develop the materials, and the following organisations reviewed the materials and provided additional insights:
- International Diabetes Federation Europe
- European Diabetes Forum
- Primary Care Diabetes Europe
- Belgian Diabetes Association
Project funding
Funding for the materials was provided by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Editorial control rested with HPP, and none of the content is biased towards any particular treatment or therapy.