Dalton, GA
The Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, based in Dalton, Georgia and one of the first employer groups selected to participate in the Diabetes Ten City Challenge, has taken the lead in organizing the Diabetes Ten City Challenge in Northwest Georgia. After signing the contract for the program in September 2005, NGHP recruited four local employers to participate in the DTCC.
Pharmacist Network
The pharmacist network to support this Diabetes Ten City Challenge program is coordinated by the Georgia Pharmacists AssociationÂ
12 independent and community pharmacists are participating in the program
Pharmacists meet participants at local pharmacies and workplace locations
About Northwest Georgia
The Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, based in Dalton, GA (pop. 30,341), works in Whitfield County (pop. 84,000) and neighboring Murray County (pop. 36,000)
12,000+ commute to Whitfield County daily
50 percent of the jobs in Whitfield County are manufacturing, according to the Chamber of Commerce
73,366 employees are in the two-county area*
48 percent of companies there have 1,000+ employees*
*Source: Georgia Health Policy Center, 2004
Relevant Statistics
According to the 2007 U.S. Census:
Whitfield County is 30.2 percent Hispanic, compared to 7.8 percent in Georgia
Whitfield County has the largest per capita Hispanic population in Georgia
More than 65 percent of the students in the Dalton Public Schools are Hispanic
An influx of Latinos in Whitfield County to work in carpet manufacturing has challenged the community’s health care, education and housing
According to the American Diabetes Association:
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is 1.5 times higher in Latinos than non-Latino whites
Two million, or 8.2 percent, of all Latino Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes
Approximately 24 percent of Mexican Americans in the United States, 26 percent of Puerto Ricans, and nearly 16 percent of Cuban Americans between the ages of 45-74 have diabetes
About the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership (www.nwgahealthpartners.org)
The Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, a non-profit collaborative effort between health care providers, business, industry, payors, government, and educators, aims to improve the health of residents of Whitfield and Murray Counties through the efficient, effective and caring use of resources.  The Partnership’s greatest strength lies in the ability to convene, facilitate, and serve as a catalyst in addressing health care issues.  An impressive track record has been established in incubating projects, determining their value to the community, and locating permanent homes for them.  The Healthcare Partnership has successfully illustrated the benefits of promoting good health through Volunteers in Medicine & Dentistry, MedBank, CRITICAL Conditions, Promotores de Salud, and Working Well.