How diabetes educators can face the present moment in difficult times

The current COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in countless challenges and changes in the delivery of health care; Diabetes care and education specialists must adapt to achieve good health outcomes, according to a speaker.

“If there’s one thing the past year has shown, it’s the ability of the specialty and the association to be resilient and successfully navigate the unexpected. ” Kellie Rodriguez, RN aut., MSN, MBA, CDCES, director of the global diabetes program at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Southlake, Texas, and 2021 president of the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists, said during the ADCES21 president’s virtual address. “As a rich, cross-professional specialty, we have demonstrated our ability to pivot and succeed. “

It’s been almost 2 years since ADCES officially unveiled a rebranding effort, including an association name change, which aimed to raise awareness of the value that diabetes care and education specialists bring to make in the face of the increasing prevalence of diabetes and meet the new demands of diabetes at the population level. performance measures. Yet most members could not have imagined the changes that would follow in 2020, as a global pandemic has upended traditional healthcare delivery models, forcing specialists in diabetes care and education to completely rethink how which they interact with patients and providers, said Rodriguez.

The ADCES21 conference will address some of these changes and reflect “the richness and diversity of the work we do,” Rodriguez said.

“This [name change] sets a strong professional statement, but for this unique professional transition to have the intended impact, we must live our brand as specialists in diabetes care and education, ”said Rodriguez. “That time is now.”

Rodriguez said diabetes care and education specialists need to understand the action steps across the six vision elements of Project Vision – an initiative created to position the specialty for success in a healthy healthcare environment. evolution. She focused on three main areas of vision:

• Leverage technology: Diabetes educators should be technology experts and data interpreters, trainers and care management consultants. “Technology is personal for people living with diabetes, and that’s what we do,” Rodriguez said.
• Iintegrated diabetes care: Diabetes care and education specialists can ensure their place at the center of the diabetes care team through an integration of care that can link, link and coordinate care and demonstrate expertise. “I hear appreciation from our primary care providers who require clinical expertise and support with all advancements in pharmacological options and devices in diabetes and cardiometabolic care,” said Rodriguez. “We can connect care and break down silos between inpatients, specialty services, primary care clinics and the community. “
• Tit quadruple objective: The quadruple goal of quality care, the positive patient and team experience, and the reduction of costs of care are “at the heart of our practice,” said Rodriguez, and are influenced by many of the growing roles of the healthcare professional. specialist in diabetes care and education.

“Our professional survival must also include an equal discussion of how what we do leads to important results, both person-centered and organizational,” Rodriguez said. “We can support this through our interprofessional makeup, an individualized assessment that includes the clinical and social determinants of health factors, care prioritization skills, workforce training and the application of everything. that beyond individuals to populations.

“I really believe in the value that each of us brings to make a difference,” said Rodriguez. “Identify one or two action items that you can plan to implement in your work environment. No ‘safe’ action items, but the ones you need to nudge. We have the capacity to create significant change. … I believe in your ability.

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Association of specialists in diabetes care and education