Hosted by Ray Shields, MD

Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is an integral part of diabetes care for all individuals with diabetes who want to achieve successful health-related outcomes.  Comprehensive diabetes education helps people with diabetes initiate effective self-care when they are first diagnosed; on-going DSME helps people maintain effective self-management for the long term.

Health care providers with specialized diabetes training, including registered dietitians, registered nurses or pharmacists who are certified diabetes educators (CDE), should provide DSME to individuals when their diabetes is first diagnosed and as needed thereafter.  In addition, community health workers who have completed specialized training in diabetes are uniquely positioned to collaborate with diabetes educators and other health care providers to improve the quality of diabetes education in their communities.

Providing DSME through programs that meet national standards helps ensure high-quality diabetes care and education. The IHS, through its Integrated Diabetes Education Recognition Program (IDERP), is one of only two organizations that has been approved as a national accrediting organization for outpatient DSME services by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national accrediting organization for outpatient DSME services.  Accreditation by the IHS IDERP not only acknowledges a program for the quality of its diabetes services, but also allows a program to seek reimbursement of DSME services for eligible Medicare beneficiaries.  In addition, accreditation can enhance marketing of diabetes services to the community and providers, and improve clinical and behavioral outcomes for participating clients.

The IHS IDERP Standards, Review Criteria, and Application Manual provides guidelines for education program development with criteria specific for AI/AN health care facilities.   The guidelines have been used by IHS/Tribal/Urban (I/T/U) health care facilities to guide and improve diabetes education and care.