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PRACTICE MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP 143 American Diabetes Association CEO Kevin Hagan on 'a Big, Real American Problem' By Emily Rappleye T he American Diabetes Association's new CEO Kevin L. Hagan has a message for America's health- care providers: Diabetes is an escalating crisis in our country and it is putting a serious bur- den on our healthcare system. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an estimate that 1 in 3 American adults could have di- abetes by 2050 if current trends continue. Mr. Hagan assumed his position with the ADA in February. Before then, he served as CEO of Feed the Children and as COO of Good360, a nonprofit organization that links nonprofits with corporate product donations. Here we checked in with Mr. Hagan to see what his plans are to address these issues as he leads the ADA, what population health means to him and how it can help change the face of dia- betes in the U.S. Note: Responses have been edited lightly for length and style. Question: What do you hope to accom- plish as CEO of the American Diabetes Association? Kevin L. Hagan: My big hope is that we can have an exponentially greater impact on our mission, which focuses on providing services and information to those living with diabetes and at risk for diabetes. One of the ways we hope to do that is through the creation of new program- ming, population health initiatives and other ways we can begin to affect patient outcomes within healthcare systems. Now, all of that needs to be funded too. I plan to look at the association's assets and communicate with the American public in an effective manner to increase revenue generation and fundraising. Q: How do you define population health? KH: Everyone has different definitions and it is interesting there is not a consistent application. What it means to me, and how we are taking it here, is focusing our initiatives on our population — people with diabetes and predisposed to diabetes — and figuring out what interventions we can make to improve their health. We are beginning to go into health systems and ask them to identify or target ways to reduce negative outcomes for our patient popu- lation by analyzing data, taking that feedback and incorporating it into the system of care. Preliminarily we are having positive experiences and improved patient outcomes in those areas. We are very excited about the possibility of more of that work in the future. We really look to drive quantifiable changes in healthcare and collaborate with health systems and clinicians. Q: What is your experience with diabetes and how that has influenced your plans for the American Dia- betes Association? KH: Diabetes ravages most of my immediate family — my mother, my father and my brother-in-law, who especially is beginning to have some of the horrible side effects in terms of eyesight — but my own experience is even more personal than that. I was diagnosed with prediabetes. Quite honestly, I was overweight; I was on two blood pressure medications and my primary care physician read me the riot act. She told me I had to change my lifestyle or I wouldn't make it to 45, which shocked me. I saw what it did to my family and took that seriously. I have lost over 100 pounds at this point and am no "We are beginning to go into health systems and ask them to identify or target ways to reduce negative outcomes for our patient population."