Task force releases new standards for diabetes self-management education, support

A task force from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) has released new standards for diabetes self-management education and support.

The standards are reviewed and revised roughly every five years by experts and stakeholders in the diabetes education community. The revised standards specify the following:

• Clinicians who provide diabetes self-management education (DSME) will document an organizational structure, mission statement and goals. They will also seek ongoing input from stakeholders and experts to enhance program quality, and identify resources that can help support people with diabetes.
• A coordinator will oversee the DSME and be responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating education services. One or more instructors will provide DSME—and diabetes self-management support (DSMS) when applicable—and at least one will be a registered nurse, dietitian or pharmacist with training and experience relevant to DSME, or have relevant certification.
• After the participant is assessed, he or she will work with the instructor to develop an individualized plan for behavior change and a follow-up plan for ongoing self-management support, both of which will be communicated to other members of the health care team.
• The framework for providing DSME will be a written curriculum that reflects current evidence and practice guidelines. DSME and DSMS clinicians will monitor goals and outcomes in order to evaluate program effectiveness, and look for ways to improve quality.

The task force emphasized the importance of regular communication among health care team members and of putting the individual with diabetes first. “It is the individuals with diabetes who do the hard work of managing their condition, day in and day out. The educator's role, first and foremost, is to make that work easier,” they wrote.