Improving glycemic control and quality of life with diabetes self-management education: A pilot project

Diabetes self-management education and support (DSME/S) has been demonstrated as an effective intervention and a billable service; however, DSME/S has yet to be successfully translated and diffused into mainstream practice. This project sought to improve glycemic control (measured by A1C or fasting blood glucose [FBG]) and quality of life (QOL) of Medicare patients age 65 years and older with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) using DSME/S. DSME/S included information sharing between patients and providers, psychosocial support, behavioral support with lifestyle modification, multidisciplinary integration, and care coordination. Patient-specific data were compared before and 4 weeks after project implementation. Use of DSME/S increased by 15% (p < .005). Participants demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in mean FBG and a statistically significant increase in QOL. This project demonstrated the successful translation of evidence related to DSME/S into practice through improving diabetes care and promoting continuing education for all of the providers.