January 27, 2006

Betancourt recognized by Latino community

Joseph R. Betancourt, MD, MPH, director of the MGH Disparities Solutions Center, (shown below), was named to the "Poderometro 2005/Powermeter 2005" by El Planeta, the largest Spanish-language magazine in Massachusetts. The list recognizes 100 individuals who have positively affected the Latino community in the state.

The Disparities Solutions Center — the first, hospital-based center of its kind in the United States — is dedicated to the development and implementation of strategies that advance policy and practice to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care. The center recently received a $2 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for its "Leading Change" project to disseminate strategies to address health care disparities nationally. The center also is collaborating on the new Chelsea Diabetes Disparities Program (CDDP) at the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center, which aims to address disparities in health care for Latino diabetes patients. Patients participating in this pilot program will receive assistance with disease management through telephone outreach, individual coaching and a group education program.