Highlights and Updates
Join our team! We're hiring a Diabetes Prevention Program Coordinator. This person will promote and manage our DPP and its statewide coordinators. Great state health and vacation benefits, hybrid remote work, and a strong starting pay. Check out the position and apply today!
|
Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) exam prep study group.
Are you planning to take the CDCES exam? Boost your study skills and prep for the exam and our study group. This occurs every other Monday at 4:00 pm via Zoom. All are welcome. The event will reconvene Monday January 9th. Please email Marci for the Zoom link and event details.
Diabetes Care and Education
Have you made a New Year’s Resolution yet? How about helping your patients to better manage their diabetes and health by setting your own specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-based (SMART) goal to refer your patients to a diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) program at the four key times?
 Just as we try to help our patients to set smart goals to improve their diabetes self-care, we may need to use that SMART goal strategy (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-based) ourselves.
You may have trouble getting your patients to attend DSMES, or maybe you don’t know where DSMES services are located. Set a SMART goal and help your patients!
Example: We have a diabetes education program in our facility, but I don’t always refer my patients.
-
SMART goal: For the next 4 weeks, I will use our internal electronic referral system to refer all diabetes patients I see to diabetes education services, and follow up to see if they attended.
Example: My patients don’t see the value of diabetes education services.
-
SMART goal: For 4 weeks, I will have a conversation with all of the diabetes patients I see, and help them to understand that DSMES is crucial in positively managing diabetes in their very real lives. I will tell them that I’m referring them to DSMES because that, as their provider, I can’t do my best job for them unless they see the Diabetes Care and Education Specialist.
Example: I don’t know where diabetes education programs are located, and my patients don’t want to travel to diabetes education services.
-
SMART goal: By the end of January, I will investigate where DSMES services are located, and which diabetes education programs offer telehealth services by contacting Marci Butcher at the Montana Diabetes Program (406-350-2658).
If you can, consider taking your SMART goals one step farther with inclusive and equitable goals. At the facility level, incorporating SMARTIE into goal planning can help drive positive results. Guidance and more information is available on how to successfully make that happen
Diabetes Prevention program
Don’t Let Prediabetes be a part of your New Year’s Resolution
As we enter into the new year many people are thinking about how they can get back on track by setting their new year’s goals. This year, don’t let prediabetes or type 2 diabetes be a part of your goals. Start thinking about how you can incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine and take steps to reduce your risks for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
|
Here are three steps you can take in the new year:
Step 1: Know Your Risk: Get started by knowing your risk factors for type 2 diabetes. You can determine your risk by taking our online risk test.
Step 2: Talk to your Health Care Professional: If you are at high risk, take the time to talk with your healthcare provider about your risk factors and getting a simple blood sugar test to determine if you have prediabetes.
Step 3: Take action: In addition to talking with your healthcare provider, start taking steps to improve your overall health. Think about creating a plan which includes eating healthier, adding more exercise, and managing stress.
Step 4: Don’t Do It Alone: Taking steps to making healthier lifestyle choice is not an easy task and you don’t have to do it alone. Talk with your health care provider about the National Diabetes Prevention (DPP) Lifestyle Change Program. The National DPP can help individuals make healthy lifestyle changes needed to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
To learn more prediabetes and type 2 diabetes or to find a National DPP program near you visit The Montana Diabetes Program
Remember the best time to prevent type 2 diabetes is NOW!
Quality Improvement
After the twinkling lights of the holiday season are tucked away for another year, we find ourselves heading into the darkest days of the year. Literally.
 Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression many are familiar with. This affects around 5% of adults. More common is its lighter version, the winter blues, which affect around 20% of adults.
Quality improvement approaches can be used to help beat and treat those winter blues. Spending time outdoors, sticking to a daily routine, and having a good sleep patterns are all helpful, achievable options.
However, sometimes the easy approaches to the winter blues just aren't enough. If you've tried those approaches but find you're still struggling consider bigger steps. Professional counseling, medication, or even a vacation south may be the next step in your own improvement.
Please share with colleagues, friends, and family. Encourage them to subscribe!
|
