Consulting: Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) and National Standards

Why Have a Quality DSME Program?
10 Great Reasons!

1. Because over 17 million Americans have diabetes, and 800,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Another 16 million Americans have "pre-diabetes," a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet in the diagnostic range for diabetes; most people with this condition will develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. (5)

2. Because diabetes can be controlled effectively by a combination of medical and self care. Thus, people with diabetes need to be educated on how and why they are to continually make self-care lifestyle choices.

3. Because approximately 95%-99% of diabetes control is related to self-care; clients who actively manage their own care have better outcomes than those who do not. (1) (3)

4. Because diabetes is a very serious, common, costly but controllable health problem in the United States. If not controlled, diabetes can lead to serious acute and chronic complications.

5. Because DSME leads to significant reductions in these complications and thus reduction in healthcare costs related to: hospitalizations; ER admissions; limb amputations; infectious diseases; depression; loss of vision, kidney disease, neuropathy, heart attack and stroke. (4) Estimates of the total costs attributable to diabetes are approximately $100 billion per year in the United States. (5)

6. Because there is a general lack of awareness among health care professionals and the public about the implications of studies showing that proper lifestyle choices (per self-care guidelines recommended by the American Diabetes Association) can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and the complications of diabetes. (5)

7. Because experts agree that DSME Programs are essential. BUT:
   • Greater than 50% of people with diabetes have had LITTLE or NO
     self-management education
   • Greater than 75% have never attended a formal education program about diabetes at all (6).

8. Because the American Diabetes Association has stated that "medical treatment of diabetes without systematic self-management education can be regarded as substandard and unethical care" (7).

9. Because DSME Programs can produce these benefits for YOUR healthcare practice or organization:
   • Generate revenue from direct DSME insurance reimbursement
   • Generate revenue from DSME-related insurance reimbursement (eye exams, labs tests, etc.)
   • Broaden the base of the organization's outreach efforts into the community
   • Broaden the scope of the organization's benefits for employees with diabetes
   • Attract new, and also maintain physicians in your organization (especially specialists in diabetes)
   • Attract new patients into the organization for other services
   • Promote increased awareness of the prevention and control of diabetes and its complications
   • Help fulfill the organization's mission of increasing target markets' access to the latest chronic disease technologies and treatments
   • Opportunity for organization to become a DSME "best practice" which allows for increased marketing

• 10) Because both unrestricted and restricted educational grants and donations are available for DSME Programs from a variety of resources

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©2008 Mary Ann Hodorowicz Consulting, LLC
Page Last Updated: November 15, 2010 5:54 PM