RMH has received a three-year recognition renewal from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for its diabetes self-management education program.
ADA recognition assures patients with diabetes and their physicians that the RMH program is a reputable resource, explained the program’s coordinator, Julie Pierantoni, RN. She added that ADA recognition allows RMH to receive reimbursement from Medicare and private insurance for diabetes education.
To receive recognition, a diabetes education program must meet the ADA’s National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education. The standards mandate that a program offer a comprehensive curriculum, determine the educational needs of those served by the program, take a multidisciplinary team approach to education and create an advisory group to oversee the program.
Pierantoni noted that the RMH program teaches participants about the seven core behaviors of diabetes self-care: healthy eating, being active, taking medication, monitoring, problem solving, reducing risks and healthy coping. To meet the needs of the broadest array of patients, the program offers day and evening classes on both weekdays and weekends. Classes usually have between 7 and 15 participants, said Pierantoni. In addition, RMH began offering classes in Spanish in 2009.
Program instructors include four registered nurses and two registered dietitians. All RN instructors and one of the registered dietitians are certified diabetes educators, and one instructor is also board-certified in advanced diabetes management. The program has an advisory council that meets annually and a core oversight council that meets bi-monthly to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
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