Translating Diabetes Research to Care Delivery
Beth Olson is a program manager in clinical research at the International Diabetes Center/HealthPartners Institute in Minneapolis. She coordinates clinical trials in type 1 diabetes, provides direct patient care, and serves on protocol design steering committees. She also serves as an instructor for professional education and training programs—both locally and internationally—including a diabetes training program in Beijing, China.
The Executive MHA Program Experience
“My interest in pursuing the MHA degree was to become more conversant in disciplines such as health policy and the economics of health care, areas outside the scope of my current position. The combination of rigor and flexibility in this program made it all possible. The cohort experience is an unexpected benefit—a hidden strength really—of this program. I have learned so much from collective experiences through on-site coursework and virtual learning.
The coursework through the MHA program has broadened my understanding and given me the skills, training, and confidence necessary to advocate more effectively for patients. The program provides a deep understanding of the complexity of our health care system, as well as trends and innovation in care delivery and the future impact of consumer-directed care and value-based payment structures.”
A Global Epidemic
“Diabetes has reached global epidemic proportions thus making it a global health crisis. Despite best efforts, we are not doing a great job of preventing and managing this challenging condition.”
Narrowing the Gap
“Diabetes control does not meet outcomes measures for most individuals with this condition, putting them at greater risk for complications. My plan is to narrow the gap between research and care delivery for those with diabetes. This is my passion and I hope to engage more fully going forward as I complete my MHA degree. Most of my career has involved research at the forefront of diabetes care for a limited number of patients. With the MHA, my passion is more fully alive in that I have the tools to help bring best practices to a wider range of patients.”
Looking Ahead
“I hope to utilize my newly-acquired set of skills to more broadly bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, in order to impact more organizations and more people. I anticipate a career move toward innovative care delivery solutions in diabetes to further this vision. My goal has always been to make life better for as many people as possible.”
