National Diabetes Month: New Tools to Help Providers and Patients

“November is National Diabetes Month, a time dedicated to spreading awareness about diabetes and the countless people impacted by it. The American Diabetes Association has partnered with the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to publish a joint position statement about the importance of self-management, education, and support for patients living with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

The National Diabetes Education Program is also promoting new tools for providers. They’ve highlighted 10 guiding principles designed to help providers deliver high-quality care to patients with or at risk for diabetes. For more information and resources for people with diabetes, family and caregivers, health care professionals, and the community, visit NDEP’s website here.

Colorado has also been greatly impacted by type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Nearly half a million Coloradans suffer from the disease, and more than 1 in 3 Coloradans has prediabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program is aimed at providing those Coloradans with the education and support they need to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Click here to learn more about the DPP in Colorado. For a list of CDC-recognized DPP programs in Colorado, click here.” [Source: COPrevent]

Increasing Access to Diabetes Self-Management Education

“Diabetes self-management education/training (DSME/T) is an evidence-based critical point of care program for people with diabetes that can delay or prevent diabetic complications. The objectives of DSME/T include:

• Support informed decision making
• Promote self-care behaviors
• Initiate problem solving
• Promote active collaboration with the health care team
• Improve clinical outcomes, health status, and quality of life

Data published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicate that less than 7% of privately insured adults with newly diagnosed diabetes from 2009 to 2012 joined a self-management education and training program. Researchers found that older adults and insulin-treated patients were more likely to join such initiatives.

In Colorado, we are working to increase referral to and utilization of this evidence-based program. To find an American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) accredited program, click here. To find an American Diabetes Association (ADA) recognized program click here and select Colorado. DSME/T is a covered benefit under Medicare and private health insurance plans. For more information about DSME/T please contact Kelly McCracken at kelly.mccracken@state.co.us or Becky DiOrio at becky.diorio@state.co.us” [Source: COPrevent]

DSME Advisory Work Group: March 7th

“The American Diabetes Association and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment would like to invite you to join a DSME Advisory Work Group interest meeting. The group will work to identify gaps, barriers and opportunities to improve diabetes self-management and diabetes prevention.

Our first meeting will be a Happy Hour following the American Diabetes Association’s Advance Diabetes Practice for Primary Care Conference On Friday, March 7th from 3:00 p.m.-4:45 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott Denver-Cherry Creek.  The Happy Hour/DSME Advisory Work Group is FREE and does not include admission to ADA Conference. If you would like to register for the conference, please visit professional.diabetes.org.

Please RSVP for the Happy Hour/DSME Advisory Work Group by February 28th by emailing Christine.Fallabel@state.co.us.  Please complete this quick survey prior to attending the meeting.  Click here to view the meeting agenda.”  [Source:  COPrevent]

American Diabetes Association’s, “Advanced Diabetes Practice for Primary Care” Conference: March 7th

“The American Diabetes Association is hosting a conference entitled, "Advanced Diabetes Practice for Primary Care" at the Courtyard Marriott in Denver on Friday, March 7th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. The conference will inform practitioners, pharmacists, registered dietitians, and other health care professionals about the newest technology and research in glucose control and diabetes management.  Please view the flyer and the website for more information and to register.”  [Source:  COPrevent]

American Diabetes Association EXPO: February 22nd

“The American Diabetes Association’s annual EXPO will be at the Colorado Convention Center on February 22nd from 9am - 4pm.  There will be activities, including free health screenings, informational sessions, cooking and exercise demonstrations, youth activities, and information geared towards people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  Visit their website for more information or view the flyer (also available in Spanish).”  [Source:  COPrevent]

ADA Offers Free mHealth Program: Living With Type 2 Diabetes

"To guide and support individuals with type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association is offering a free 12-month program called Living With Type 2 Diabetes.  The program provides information and offers a free guidance to help people learn how to manage diabetes at regular intervals throughout the year-long.

The program is available in English and Spanish and participants can choose to receive information online or through the mail.  Participants can also choose to receive additional recipes, tips and reminders on their phone.  People can enroll into this free program by visiting the website, calling 1-800-DIABETES, or texting Type2 to 69866 to learn more about the program in English or Tipo2 to 69866 to learn more about the program in Spanish.

For more information please visit www.diabetes.org, or call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383)."  [Source: COPrevent]

New Nutrition Guidelines from the American Diabetes Association: One Size Does Not Fit All

“The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has released a new position statement on nutrition therapy for patients with diabetes in Diabetes Care, October 2013. The last statement was published in 2008. These new guidelines acknowledge there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to recommending nutrition therapy for patients with diabetes. All nutrition therapy should be individualized suggesting patients consider their individual goals and choose an eating pattern that fits their food preferences, yet is still nutritional.

Practice Pearls:

• New nutrition guidelines available replace those from 2008 and acknowledge there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to eating plans.
• Recommendation of portion sizes should take into account individual preferences, culture, religious beliefs, traditions and metabolic goals.
• Patients with diabetes should receive individualized nutrition therapy to improve clinical outcomes.”   [Source: COPrevent]

Free Online Continuing Education Programs Available from the ADA

"The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease (iDOC) are offering two new, online continuing education programs for primary care providers that address individualized practical approaches to managing obesity in type 2 diabetes using a risk-based decision making approach.

These online, free-of-charge continuing education programs are:

• Shared Decision-Making for Clinical Success in the Obese Person with Type 2 Diabetes  Click here to register
• Clinical Shared Decision-Making with the Obese Person with Type 2 Diabetes and a BMI >35  Click here to register"  

[Source: COPrevent]