Introduction

Introduction: Overview and Background

Why this E-Guide was Developed

Recent clinical trials have shown that it is possible to prevent or delay onset of type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes and ongoing management of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can also prevent many complications (such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations) associated with the disease.

After a two-year analysis of the current health care system and the best methods for enacting improved care, the NDEP workgroup (click here for a list of members) has compiled a resource to help health care professionals deliver the type of ongoing, patient-centered care required to effectively manage diabetes.

To better serve patients with diabetes, system changes need to be made, at many levels and in many applications.

Such a comprehensive systems change will make it possible to adopt proven models of care and translate conclusions derived from clinical studies into day-to-day policies, procedures and operations.

This is a long-term goal that will require support from practitioners, patients and policy-makers. It is not a simple task, yet one that will result in improved care for the 17 million people with diabetes.

This site is designed to educate health care professionals about the need for system changes. The site provides steps, models, guidelines, resources and tools for the process of making and evaluating effective systems changes.

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Who Developed This E-Guide

Members of the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) Health Care Provider Work Group have selected the tools and written content.

The NDEP Work Group is made up of 20 volunteers from a number of health care professional, government and consumer organizations.

The NDEP is a joint program of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The federally sponsored initiative involves public and private partners working to improve treatment, diagnosis and, ultimately, the prevention of the onset of diabetes. Click Here for the NDEP partner organizations.

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How Tools are Selected to be Included

Tools are selected if they support the current state of the art of comprehensive diabetes health care delivery.

Tools selected have been used effectively in clinical practice to improve diabetes care.

No evaluation or ranking has been or will be conducted.

NDEP does not endorse any tool that appears on the list.

Periodically, the list will be updated as other appropriate tools are identified.

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Who Can Benefit from this Site

Any health care provider interested in improving quality of care for patients: physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, dietitian, pharmacist, certified diabetes educator, podiatrist, optometrist, nurse instructor or community-based health worker.

Health care planners involved in chronic care delivery systems may also find tools and resources that are useful.

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How to use the E-Guide

To make a significant improvement in your organization’s care for patients with diabetes, it is important to understand the process for change as well as identifying new tools and the methods of implementing the changes.

You may skip around within the site, choosing links as they interest you or using the search features to go directly to a topic of particular interest or a specific tool; however, it is important to remember that true system changes require many steps that must be followed in order.

When choosing a tool or resource that you believe may apply to your practice, be sure to also look at the sections that offer insights on training your staff to make changes and ways to measure whether the change improves care.

Note that there will be obstacles to face and many issues to overcome. This E-Guide offers suggestions on ways to identify those obstacles and develop strategies for addressing them.

Substantial improvement in patient care will require ongoing procedural changes. Significant, sustained improvement will take time, resources and effort.

It is important to make improved care a high priority. Our commitment to providing better care must be long-term and system-wide if we are going to actually achieve the health benefits that research has made possible and put within our reach.

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