NDEP News & Notes: NDEP Welcomes the University of Pittsburgh’s Linda Siminerio as NDEP Chair

New Chair of NDEP: Linda Siminerio The NDEP is honored to welcome Linda Siminerio, RN, PhD, CDE, as NDEP chair. Dr. Siminerio is a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, where she also serves as executive director of the university’s Diabetes Institute. The NDEP would also like to thank John Buse, MD, PhD, outgoing NDEP chair, for his commitment and dedication to NDEP, most notably with his work leading the NDEP’s effort to establish its 2014-2019 Strategic Plan. In an interview for the November 2014 Partner Spotlight, Dr. Buse referred to the NDEP’s Strategic Plan as the federal program’s most important recent achievement—and the one that holds the greatest promise for its future. 

Raise Awareness about Glaucoma Among People with Diabetes January is Glaucoma Awareness Month!  Join NDEP partner, the National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP), in raising awareness about glaucoma, especially among people at higher risk. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop glaucoma as those without diabetes. NEHEP has a variety of resources that you can use to bring greater attention to glaucoma. Check out their new infographics, infocards, and dilated eye exam animation at:www.nei.nih.gov/nehep/GAM.

New! NDEP Publishes Guiding Principles for the Care of People With or at Risk for DiabetesNDEP has published a set of 10 clinically useful principles that highlight areas of agreement for diabetes care in diabetes management and prevention. The result of a major collaborative effort between federal agencies and professional organizations, this resource is intended to assist with identification and management of the disease, self-management support for patients, physical activity and blood glucose control, among other topics. The NDEP thanks all of the organizations that have signed on to support this important resource. You can view or download Guiding Principles here.

Make a Plan and Take Just One Step to a Healthier YouThe new year is a great time to think about lifestyle changes to improve health. The key to reaching health resolutions—and keeping them up all year long—is to set a goal and stick with it. NDEP’s Make and Plan and Just One Step tools can help you get started.

Use and Review NDEP’s Practice Transformation ResourceNDEP’s Practice Transformation site provides resources to improve diabetes care within the context of an evolving health care delivery system by providing tools for health care professionals looking to explore new health care delivery models. Please take a moment to visit the site and take the Practice Transformation Website Satisfaction Survey.

NDEP WebinarsIf you missed NDEP’s recent webinar, “The Changing Role of the Diabetes Educator: Diabetes Education and U.S. Health Care” you can view the presentation slides and recording here.

The following NDEP webinars are now available on the Training Finder Real-time Affiliate Integrated Network (TRAIN), where participants can maintain a record of their participation in NDEP activities and download certificates of participation: 

• Culturally-competent Health Provider Communication: Insights from Research with Chinese, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Island Diabetes Patients 
• Diabetes and Nutrition in the Latino Community 
• Living a Balanced Life with Diabetes Toolkit 
• Partners in Health: Engaging Faith Communities in Diabetes Prevention 

It’s Flu SeasonIt’s not too late to get a flu shot! NDEP reminds you that people with diabetes are at high risk for serious flu complications, and the best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year. Encourage everyone – especially those with diabetes – to get a flu shot. If folks with diabetes do develop flu symptoms, they should call their health care provider right away because antiviral medicines are most effective during the first 48 hours.

New CDC Report on Use of Self-management Education and Training ProgramsData in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicate that less than 7% of privately insured adults with newly diagnosed diabetes from 2009 to 2012 joined a self-management education and training program. Researchers found that older adults and insulin-treated patients were more likely to join such initiatives.