Pennsylvania United Efforts for State Licensure
Consolidating efforts to license diabetes educators in Pennsylvania will increase our recognition, advance the use of DSME/T, and increase the number of qualified diabetes educators. The need for collaborative education to provide the knowledge and skills for successful self-management of diabetes and related comorbid conditions is obvious for 1.2 million Pennsylvanians with diabetes.
Credence from professional licensing of diabetes education will yield attention from our employers. Thinking outside the traditional boundaries of accredited AADE and ADA outpatient programs, more diabetes educators are finding positions in PCMHs, specialty groups such as nephrology, cardiology as well as endocrinology. Strong motivation from CMS through HEDIS measures rate physicians on acquisition of A1C targets. I recently proposed a CDE in the office over dinner to a table of internal medicine and cardiology physicians who responded, “We can’t afford you”. I thought later, “You can’t afford not to”. Fast thinking cardiology quipped in return, “You’re hired!”
The process of attaining licensure builds our reputation among legislators. Numerous times we have had opportunity to present what diabetes education is and how it differs from educating a patient on skills such as insulin administration and blood sugar monitoring. Every discipline teaching diabetes skills and education is encouraged, supported and expected to do so. Our house bill does not intend to interfere with another practitioner’s scope of practice. With the passage of licensure, more recognition brings more awareness to the patient about the effectiveness of diabetes education.
We can advance the role of DSME/T in addition to accredited ten hour programs through new roles in the office as well as telehealth. Individual management of diabetes is necessary to address personal preferences and needs. Many persons with diabetes claim education attendance but did not experience the collaboration necessary to support behavior change and successful self-management.
As a five-year goal, I would like to see us increase the number of qualified diabetes educators in Pennsylvania by 100%. We can expand our team welcoming pharmacists who have moved well beyond traditional retail roles. Physical therapists are in prime positions to teach necessary skills throughout rehabilitation. A marketing campaign is being launched targeting 4500 persons in higher education in PA schools of nursing, dietetics and pharmacy sharing our PA AADE Student Scholarship Program and benefits of membership with networking opportunities and continuing education.
Licensure is an entry level standard of a proposed 250 experience hours, contact hours in associated science, pharmacy and behavioral studies, and the passage of an NCBDE sponsored licensing exam. Additional hours of practice can help the participant to achieve NCBDE Certification, our gold-standard. CDEs and BC-ADMs would be grandfathered in with licensing fees only as determined by the state.
I get up each day and head to work with the opportunity of doing exactly what I love. Believing and witnessing we can produce results that are possible together as a team brings freedom, power and choice. Kurt Anderson, the Director of Federal and State Advocacy for AADE will be presenting on May 4, at 12pm at the 6th Annual PA State Diabetes Education meeting at the Hilton in Harrisburg. View the agenda and register: http://www.myaadenetwork.org/e/in/eid=971