Diabetes Prevention and Control Program

Mission

The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) coordinates the Rhode Island Statewide Diabetes Health System (RI-SDHS), which is comprised of over 700 agencies and individuals. The goal of the DPCP is to prevent and control diabetes and diabetes-related complications. The DPCP adopts, implements, evaluates, and institutionalizes programs to improve the quality of diabetes clinical care. It expands the workforce available to address the burden of diabetes in RI by supporting multicultural diabetes self-management programs, education and pre-diabetes care. These programmatic elements work together synergistically and on multiple levels (i.e., individual, health system, environmental, community, state) to constitute a comprehensive systems approach to diabetes prevention and control.

2010 Accomplishments and Milestones

• The percent of adults in the RI Chronic Care Collaborative registry with diabetes who have met key intermediate outcome measures has increased on three measures tracked. Patients who have achieved the Hemoglobin A1c target measure has increased to 37% (a 59% increase). Patients who have met the LDL target measure increased to 30% (an 11% increase). Patients who have achieved blood pressures target measures increased to 35% (a 7% increase).
• There are 252 Certified Diabetes Outpatient Educators. The DPCP has also increased the workforce available to facilitate Living Well Rhode Island. This is an evidenced-based Stanford Chronic Disease Management Program. Currently, there are 32 Master Trainers and 71 Leaders. 725 participants with diabetes and other chronic diseases have completed a Living Well program.
• Rhode Island has met the Healthy People 2010 goals for four of the measures tracked in RI including the diabetes-related death rate, the cardiovascular disease death rate among adults with diabetes, the percent of adults who have received an annual dilated eye exam, and the percent of adults who have had at least two hemoglobin A1c tests in the past year.

Funding

The RI Diabetes Prevention & Control Program (RI-DPCP) was established in 1978 as one of the first federally funded diabetes programs in the United States.  Since 1978, the Rhode Island Department of Health has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What We Do

• Facilitate collaboration among public and private sector partners
• Define the burden of diabetes and assess existing population based strategies for primary and secondary prevention of diabetes within the state.
• Develop and update a comprehensive state plan for diabetes prevention with emphasis on physical and social environmental change, and disparities elimination.
• Identify culturally appropriate approaches to promote diabetes prevention among racial, ethnic and other priority populations

Key Focus Areas within the Diabetes Control Program

Certified Diabetes Outpatient Education Program (CDOE)

We use state and national standards to certify a workforce of nurses, dietitians and pharmacists in diabetes education as well as practice sites. CDOE’s are healthcare professionals who focus on educating people with and at risk for diabetes and related conditions to achieve behavior change goals which, in turn, lead to better clinical outcomes and improved health status. Diabetes educators apply in-depth knowledge and skills to provide self-management education/self-management training to people with diabetes helping them to better manage their chronic disease.  Visit the Rhode Island Certified Diabetes Outpatient Educators website for additional information and to find a CDOE.

Multicultural Diabetes Education Program (MDEP)

We provide multilingual and multicultural basic diabetes education and support in communities with limited access to formal diabetes education programs.(more)

Diabetes Prevention Program

We provide physician practices with tools to improve screening and quality of care provided for patients at risk for diabetes and connect patients at risk for diabetes with community resources. (more)

TEAMWorks

We provide TEAMWorks, a 3-hour diabetes self-management program provided to adults in physician practices.  This program is modeled after Kaiser Permanente's successful Diabetes Morning program. TEAMWorks is presented by a "team" of diabetes educators (nurse, dietitian, and pharmacist) and the practice physician.  Participants review their own diabetes-related lab test results with their physician (HbA1C, lipid profiles, and tests for microalbuminuria) during the program.  The nurse and dietitian provide skill-building sessions with patients who also receive one-on-one counseling on medications from the pharmacist.  The physician reviews any medical issues with each participant. Referrals are made for dilated eye exams, dental care and diabetes out-patient education. TEAMWorks educational visits focus on managment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. (factsheet)

Chronic Disease Program Partners

Living Well Rhode Island

We provide evidence-based chronic disease self-management education to people with diabetes statewide. The program’s chronic disease self-management workforce has been developed for both English and Spanish education. (more)

Rhode Island Chronic Care Collaborative

We work with physician practices to improve care tor patients with chronic conditions. (more)

Diabetes Council 

The Diabetes Council provides leadership for diabetes-related activities in the state. (more)

Community-Based Diabetes Support Groups

These groups in the community help motivate adults with diabetes and their caregivers to better manage living with diabetes. (referrals)