Diabetes Self-Management Education Performance Improvement
The Illinois Academy of Family Physicians (IAFP) oversees and manages the Diabetes Self-Management Education Performance Improvement project. This initiative aligns with the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Performance Improvement standards and fulfills Meaningful Participation requirements.
REGISTER TO START YOUR PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Click here to register. Registration and participation is free. Funding for this project was made possible by a grant from the American Board of Family Medicine.
COLLECTING DATA AND SUBMISSION PROCESS
Submitting Performance Improvement: Fill out this online form on completion of your PI cycle-IAFP PI PDSA Form
NOTE: You must complete all sections and areas of the PI in order to receive credit. For your convenience, you may use worksheet (PDF worksheet / Word document worksheet) to record and save your work before completing the final online form. Please note, this activity end date is January 14, 2026. All PI cycles must be submitted by this date.
CME Credit: The AAFP has reviewed Diabetes Self-Management Education Performance Improvement and deemed it acceptable for up to 20.00 Performance Improvement AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from 01/15/2025 to 01/14/2027. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn twenty (20) Performance Improvement points in the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Family Medicine Certification program. A link to claim credit (up to 20 credits) will be emailed to those participants who have completed the PI cycle and submitted the online form.
PSDA FOR DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATION
AIM: Elevated A1c levels in persons with diabetes are associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes-related complications such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and neuropathy. Most people with diabetes should have an A1c level of < 7%. Participants will aim to decrease A1c levels among patients in their practice within 90 days.
Objective:
Objective: Diabetes self-management education improves diabetes knowledge and self-care behaviors, which have proven to lower A1C. Control of diabetes includes not only the optimization of medication but also the incorporation of self-care behaviors. Participants will choose medication optimization and one or more self-care behaviors (nutrition therapy, physical activity, psychosocial care) to help improve A1c levels among patients.
Sample project strategy to follow PDSA cycle:
Plan: Implement diabetes self-management education with at least one modification (nutrition therapy, physical activity, and psychosocial care)
Do: Provide patients with specific diabetes self-management interventions using a SMART goal and lifestyle prescription format.
Examples of recommended diabetes self-management education and support per the 2024 American Diabetes Association Standards of Care:
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Medical nutrition therapy
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Physical activity
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Smoking cessation
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Support positive health behaviors (i.e. medication adherence)
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Psychosocial care (i.e. diabetes distress, anxiety, depression, sleep health, and resources)
(For example sleep 7 hours most nights of the week or engage in moderate physical activity (can talk but not sing) for at least 150 minutes per week, including 2-3 days of resistance training or incorporate fiber rich foods into diet daily)
Study: Assess patient adherence and A1C levels of patients prescribed at least one diabetes self-management intervention.
Act: What steps can we take to overcome the barriers that impact adherence? How can we adjust our approach for even better outcomes next time?
Timeline: PI participants have 9 months to complete this project.
Additional more detailed PDSA cycle for diabetes self-management (pdf download)
RESOURCES for the physician to use to help the aid in the PI:
Exercise Rx (FITT principle)
- F: Frequency: How often you exercise
- I: Intensity: How hard you exercise
- T: Time: How long you exercise
- Type: The type of exercise you do
“Set Healthy Goals” SMART worksheet
Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors and Well-being to Improve Health Outcomes: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care 1 January 2024
Facilitating positive health behaviors and well-being per ADA
Lifestyle Medicine Prescription RX pad
Diabetologia article - Management of hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes, 2022. A consensus report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) - https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00125-022-05787-2.pdf
ACLM article Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Management With a Low-Fat, Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet - https://lifestylemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ACLM-Article-T2-Diabetes-Prevention-WFPB.pdf
6 Ways to Control Your Health - https://lifestylemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Adult-Resource-Kit.pdf
Food as Medicine - Jumpstart - https://lifestylemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ACLM-Food-As-Medicine-Jumpstart248_7.pdf
Healthy & Delicious Tasty recipes for better living, brought to you by Loma Linda University Health- https://myllu.llu.edu/utilities-fileManager/action:file/?item=%2FcollabUserUploads%2F4426%2Fattachment%2FLLUH_Health_and_Delicious.pdf
ACLM Printable cookbook - Eating on a Budget - Easy, Healthy, and Low-Cost Meals for Every Day of the Week.
Fiber Facts: Why high-fiber foods are important - https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/915800109%20Revised%208-10_tcm75-14335.pdf

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