Type 2 diabetes in spotlight for awareness month
November is National Diabetes Month and the Kane County Health Department has been working with hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other providers to examine the issues around Type 2 diabetes in Kane County.
Starting in 2012, the KCHAIN+ Diabetes Collaborative used quality improvement tools to determine the root causes of the countywide high rate of diabetes hospitalizations, as found in the 2011-2012 Community Health Assessment. The Kane County Community Health Improvement Plan has a strategy focused on increasing the proportion of residents who receive appropriate, evidence-based clinical preventive services. This project is increasing awareness of diabetes educational services in Kane County and is looking at how to prevent the onset of the disease.
The KCHAIN+ Diabetes Collaborative had an overarching goal of increasing the number of referrals to its diabetes education programs and increasing the number of patients who complete the sessions. However, each provider took a different approach to address the problems.
One worked with a specific physician group to increase their awareness of the educational programming offered and increase the number of referrals. Another focused on patients in the hospital who had elevated A1C levels, an indicator for diabetes, and provided education on-site. One organization started a new process for newly diagnosed patients, ensuring they are seen by multiple caregivers on the day they are diagnosed.
After the first year, the group saw an improvement in the number of referrals and participation in the diabetes education programs. In addition, one hospital was able to secure grant funding to hold free diabetes education sessions for community members. The application highlighted the Diabetes Collaborative as an example of the communitywide efforts to help residents control their diabetes.
This year, the team again used quality improvement tools to identify goals for the next phase of the project, which is looking at prevention. An emphasis on generating referrals will continue, but the group decided to look at how they can work together and with other partners to raise awareness of diabetes and the risk factors that can lead to it.
The KCHAIN+ Diabetes Collaborative will meet in December to create a plan for 2015 activities, which will be based on a survey conducted in August. Measurable objectives will be selected for the projects and the team will continue to meet to share information, ideas, and best practices, which have helped the diabetes educators learn from each other.
For information about National Diabetes Month and opportunities for diabetes education in Kane County, visit kanehealth.com/diabetes.htm.