The increasing prevalence of diabetes throughout the world creates significant challenges and opportunities for the health care professionals, governments and other institutions that strive to reduce the burden of this chronic disease on all persons and entities who are affected.

Standards of medical care recognize diabetes education is an essential component of comprehensive care for diabetes; yet the resources needed to provide quality diabetes education are often inadequate.

The IDF has developed a number of tools for health care professionals to use in their clinical practices, in an effort to bridge this gap. The recently developed IDF Standards of Professional Education in Diabetes provide a framework and suggested content for diabetes education programs for health care professionals. Use of the Standards and other IDF materials, such as the IDF Diabetes Education Modules and the IDF Curriculum will enable health care professionals to standardize their approaches to providing diabetes education and thereby, assist people with diabetes in achieving positive health outcomes and enhanced quality of life.

What have you found to be most challenging about teaching healthcare professionals about diabetes and what approaches, techniques or resources have you utilized to overcome those challenges?

Information about the discussion leader

The discussion will be moderated by Sue McLaughlin (Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator in Omaha, USA) and Anne Belton (Clinical Adjunct Professor in Toronto, Canada).

References

        1) American Association of Diabetes Educators: Diabetes Education Accreditation Program (DEAP): http://www.diabeteseducator.org

        2) American Diabetes Association: Education Recognition Program (ERP): http://professional.diabetes.org

        3) Haas L, Maryniuk M, et al. National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. Diabetes Care; November 2012 vol. 35 no. 11 2393-2401