NEWS & RESOURCES 
| Written by American Association of Diabetes Educators |
Internet, smartphones enhance education programs
Bringing technology-enabled diabetes self-management interventions to busy clinicians and patients is about to become the new normal. With increasing sophistication of treatment protocols, patients need a complex set of services, education and support. By integrating these services into the diabetes regimen through self-management support interventions that are clinically linked and technology enabled, both educators and patients will be more successful. In fact, it can prove to be both a robust and affordable strategy, according to Neal Kaufman MD, MPH, CEO of DPS Health, Los Angeles. "The world of diabetes self-management education and support is changing as we know it. Technology offers a whole different way to improve patient outcomes through enhanced self-management of the complex behaviors patients need to be successful," Kaufman said. "The role of educators is going to change as a result, so we need to help educators be better prepared for these new responsibilities and tasks," he said. Dr. Kaufman will co-present "Self-Management Support: Internet/Cell Phone Make Diabetes Prevention and Treatment Affordable/Scalable" from 3:30 to 5 pm today in Lagoon H. Joining him will be Malinda Peeples, RN, MS, CDE, VP of clinical marketing, WellDoc Inc, Baltimore, and Linda Siminerio, RN, PhD, CDE, executive director, University of Pittsburgh/Diabetes Institute. "Given the growing diabetes epidemic, coupled with healthcare reform, increased clinician time constraints and a projected shortage of primary care clinicians and diabetes educators, a solution is long overdue," Dr. Kaufman said. "Patients are looking for support especially in ways that complement their busy lives." According to Dr. Kaufman, modern diabetes care is most successful when diabetes educators include technology within educational programs. It enhances the patient's knowledge, attitudes and skills, allowing them to adopt and sustain healthier behaviors. By relying on technology-enabled, evidence-based programs that address each patient's unique characteristics, changing needs and performance, educators are more likely to have better outcomes. Of course, an educator or patient's ability to adapt to changing technology is crucial, he added. "Part of the success in linking clinical approaches with technology depends on the technology and how it is used," he said. "For example, smartphones are great for some elements of behavior change … seeing results, tracking performance, linking others in the moment. Sometimes a computer with a large screen is better … for more complex information, long videos or viewing lots of data." Technology-enabled interventions benefit clinicians and patients alike, Kaufman noted. For example, clinicians benefit by reducing patient travel and scheduling conflicts, as well as by improving population monitoring, tracking and reporting. Clinicians can readily review a patient's activities and performance online and communicate frequently and efficiently with patients. Patients benefit through online self-assessment and goal-setting tools, he said, while tracking changes in biologic measurements. These programs can easily provide a patient with individualized guidance and support based on immediate access to each patient's characteristics and performance. By linking patients to providers, as well as to family and friends for critical support, these interventions help integrate medical care with everyday life. "The closer we move to clinically linked, technology-enabled intervention programs, the better off our patients will be," Kaufman said. |
