Among an array of methods, engagement between patients and their health  -  and the fostering of patient-centered medical homes  -  is being triggered by LPHI through the introduction of the city's first health information exchange system, an information service known as txt4health, and consistent coordination with community members.

The 14-week txt4health program highlights CCBC's solidified engagement with consumers. The program is designed to inform users about their risk for type 2 diabetes. 

The program itself was crafted with input from an advisory board composed of community providers, sponsors and consumers, said Abebe. "So from the very beginning, this community advisory board  -  which was very diverse, had public, private and government representatives  -  was working together to curb the diabetes epidemic in Greater New Orleans, and now we're planning to scale it up statewide."

Because CCBC operates with this sort of heightened communication between community members and designers, DeSalvo and Khurshid draw upon the term "collaborative environment" to describe the beacon's strengths. By working alongside users and beneficiaries in the design and planning processes of CCBC, Khurshid says, they've established trust; players in the realm of New Orleans' public health know the changes are tailored to their use and benefit. 

"We've been engaging with powerful work to change the way we deliver care and work with each other," said DeSalvo. "The Beacon Program is a national layer underneath that to make sure that we can advance the culture change and the data opportunities to improve the health of everybody."

Khurshid is looking to extend the very model of CCBC to other communities  -  even across the nation  -  as a true beacon built on community engagement: "Now we have developed in New Orleans what I would consider potentially one of the most advanced systems to coordinate care that engages the patient," he said. n