Managing diabetes consumes large portions of PAs’ time and energy and is a "part-time" job to people with diabetes (PWD). With U.S. annual diagnosed diabetes numbers at a staggering 11% of the population and 38% with pre-diabetes, generating a therapeutic alliance supporting lifelong learning and patient empowerment models is essential. This is a two-way street. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) provide an evidence-based foundation empowering PWD to navigate self-management decisions and activities. DSMES is a cost-effective tool proven to improve health behaviors and health outcomes for PWD, yet its use is sub-optimal with less than 5% of Medicare beneficiaries and about 7% of privately insured using it. Why the low utilization? PAs must examine our role in empowering patients’ decision-making as “we are not always there,” to guide them. Learn how DSMES improves clinical time management while improving diabetes outcomes. Be part of the solution.

Learning Objectives

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At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:  

• Describe diabetes care workload; what it means to cover all the bases
• Discuss the concept of a therapeutic alliance and its mutually beneficial impact on PAs and PWD
• Detail DSMES's role in your practice; the who, when and how of using it