The Pennsylvania Coordinating Body sponsored The Battle of Diabetes Historical & Innovative Approaches to Diabetes Management a two day conference in Gettysburg, Pa on April 26, 27. The two hundred and sixty three health professionals, many CDE’s, listened and learned the history of diabetes management and the future requirements needed to establish DSMT, the Diabetes Standards of Care and the Certified Diabetes Educator as the gold standard. All health professionals involved in management of diabetes learned what role they will play in the future. The atmosphere at the conference was exhilarating filled with networking, discussions and fun meeting new people and seeing old friends. The twenty three venders were kept busy with questions about new innovations.
PA CB & Sandi Burke, AADE President.
My aim is to highlight the take away message of each speaker: 
M. Kaye Kramer DrPH, MPH, BSN, CCRC
- The goals of the DPP - Diabetes Prevention Program outlined lifestyle changes in diet and physical activity and metformin in people with glucose intolerance as 2 methods of prevention of diabetes in real world settings.
Julie Dorfman MA RD LDN –
- Eating disorders of bulimia and anorexia destroy the control of a person with diabetes. Diabetes out of control without an evident cause is an identifying symptom of eating disorders. What to look for and how to refer for help were discussed.
Linda Siminerio, RN, PhD, CDE
- Outcome based evidence of DSMT will ensure that the CDE will not become extinct. In the health reform wave of change the CDE role in DSMT will survive when proof of DSMT is established as crucial in today’s diabetes epidemic that threatens the health of the population and the country’s economy.
Robert Gabbay MD, PhD
- The Medical Home model of care is the future .The CDE playing a keystone role in collaboration with all health professionals will be the patients’ road to diabetes management.
Jean Betschart- Roemer MSN, MN, CPNP, CDE
- Transition from teenage years into adult hood is a stressful emotional time for many teens. For the teen with diabetes, a pre planned transition plan is needed from pediatric Endo to Endo’s caring for adults that ensures the transition with the least amount of stress.
Anthony Fabricatore PhD
- Obesity has an underlying base of real or imagined psychological unfulfilled needs. For the person with diabetes where diet is a key factor the patient with diabetes must include psychological intervention to enable that person to maintain their food plan to control diabetes.
Renata Tate RN, MSN, MHA, TAS, CTTS-M
Janet Wendle RN BSN CDE
- Yoga is one way for everyone to handle the stress of life’s ups and downs. For a person with diabetes it has been shown to even out the ups and downs of blood sugars.
AADE Regional Meeting
- AADE leaders revealing the goals and actions in place to support the vital role of the CDE.
- Marketing to the physician, allied health professionals and government, the community, what a CDE CAN DO!
- Licensure to allow the CDE to bill for DSMT.
- Ann Constance MA, RD, CDE Diabetes Educator of The Year showed the attendees why she won this award with a lively presentation of how she gets the patient excited about DSMT.
Pennsylvania Coordinating Body (CB) met prior to opening the state meeting. Members discussed the future choices and challenges for AADE in PA at the CB and LNG levels. Increased involvement of members is essential to continue supporting the CDE. Our guest, Sandi Burke, AADE President, urged we stop talking to each other about what we do and work to increase awareness of the CDE role in preventing and managing diabetes.
The future plan is to sponsor a diabetes conference annually If you attended and were pleased or disappointed in the conference content please consider getting involved with planning next year’s program .