David Weingard, the founder and CEO of Fit4D, a New York City-based technology company with intelligent scripting algorithms that enables Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs) to deliver personalized care and value-based services at scale, has been announced as the recipient of the first-ever Kate Granger Compassionate Care Award. Fit4D technology-enabled coaching lowers HbA1C and helps fill the gaps in care with personalized diabetes education, motivation and support from a diabetes expert.
The Kate Granger Compassionate Care Award spotlights individual contributions to high-tech/high-touch care and awarded to those who demonstrate compassionate care in this area. As IT becomes increasingly recognized as a pivotal tool to improve the quality, safety, cost-effectiveness, and access to outstanding care, HIMSS is committed to ensuring a high-touch / high-tech relationship between clinicians and patients
David received the esteemed honor at the HIMSS Awards Gala, one of the premier events held during the 2017 HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, from February 19-23, in Orlando, Fla., at the Orange County Convention Center.
David was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 36 while training for a survival race. A veteran of numerous running and triathlon races, David committed to rebuilding his life and providing positive energy to the diabetes community while coping with the condition on a 24×7 basis. David’s personal experience receiving meaningful education and support from a CDE sparked the idea for Fit4D to leverage technology to scale the patient reach of adherence and outcome improvement programs for pharmaceutical, payer and provider organizations.
“I am humbled and proud to be recognized as an honoree of the first-ever Kate Granger Compassionate Care Award, “ said David Weingard, founder and CEO of Fit4D. “Delivering value based services to diabetes patients is critical in order to provide them with the education and support they need while also achieving the quality measures that payers and providers are measured on.”
Diabetes is complex and patients need continual education and support to understand how and why to take their medications and manage their blood sugar levels. Fit4D is a technology-enabled health coaching solution that scales the reach of expert diabetes educators, allowing them to manage a patient population more than five times larger than traditional inpatient settings. Fit4D clients include pharmaceutical companies with a branded drug or device seeking to improve initiation and adherence, and payers/providers looking to improve health outcomes and quality measures. The company’s team of CDEs across the country leverage the proprietary technology platform to engage patients with a personalized plan that addresses the individual barriers one faces when learning to self-manage the condition. Coaching topics include basic education about the condition, self-management tips and tactics to initiate therapy and improve medication adherence, the importance of preventive care, nutrition, fitness, advice to overcome psychosocial barriers and more.