Attending the national ADCES meeting in Houston, Texas, in August was special for me this year. I had a great time presenting on a topic near and dear to my heart: Strategies to Revitalize your Diabetes Program or Business.
This legacy talk allowed me to share actions to innovate, revitalize, and kick-start programs and projects that I have implemented in my practice settings and communities over the past 30 years.
In addition to presenting, I met new diabetes advocates and educators from across the United States, I had the opportunity to connect with old friends, catch up, and share hugs! I also took lots of notes on the presentations, ranging from therapy to stop the progression of type 1 diabetes to the co-relationship between mental health and diabetes.
To celebrate 25 years as the CEO of Diabetes Education Services and 30 years of specializing in diabetes, I am excited to offer my ADCES presentation, Strategies to Revitalize your Diabetes Program or Business for FREE on September 28th at 11:30 am PST. If you are starting a diabetes self-management program or want to revitalize your current practice, we invite you to join this one-hour webinar full of practical tips on advocating for the best health care in a variety of practice settings.
In addition, we will be discussing successful marketing strategies that work. We know that less than ten percent of people with diabetes attend a Diabetes Self-Management Program or see a registered dietitian. Yet, there is ample evidence that people with diabetes experience improved outcomes when receiving DSMES. Plus, the ADA recommends that all people with diabetes receive MNT and DSME regularly. As diabetes healthcare professionals, we need to actively close this gap and increase participant engagement within our communities.
Strategies to Revitalize your Diabetes Program or Business on September 28th at 11:30am PST.
FREE Webinar with Coach Beverly
Ready for On-Demand Viewing
Topics include:
Hope to see you there!
Join Coach Beverly and Team for two and a half days of knowledge-sharing, fun, networking, games with prizes, and “aha” moments in beautiful San Diego.
You don’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind learning opportunity. Get away from all those daily responsibilities and immerse yourself in a fun and intensive conference with plenty of networking opportunities.
Attendees will leave this conference with new tools and a more complete understanding of the latest advances in diabetes care, from medications to technology to Medical Nutrition Therapy!
Bring your colleagues and enjoy our friend discount.
Our team expertly translates the complex science of diabetes into understandable terms while keeping it real, practical, and fun.
Team of expert faculty includes:
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.
My youngest son, Jackson, became a part-time employee for my company when he turned eight. Along with this older brother, he helped package DiaBingo kits, stuff, and stamp envelopes, assemble PocketCards, and choose Pancreas Partner color combinations. As Jackson entered his teen years, his contributions moved from simple assembly to innovation. Given his longstanding knowledge of our company goals, values, and community, he suggested changes that helped grow our social media presence and increase our connection with readers.
Over this past summer, in addition to answering customer questions, shipping out orders, and assembling our Pancreas Partners (see pictures), Jackson took a leadership role in creating our new Podcast offerings. He researched the best podcast platforms for our FREE webinars. By the end of summer, due to his vision and hard work, we launched all of our FREE Podcasts on the most popular platforms (such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Castbox, and Google Podcast).
Even though Jackson had an intense high school schedule due to his load of AP classes, running the Empowerment Club, playing in the jazz and marching bands, and taking the lead as Drum Major, he always showed up to work with a great attitude. During stressful periods at work, he managed to help me laugh, take a deep breath, and keep moving forward. He has a magical way of listening carefully, giving a hug, then gifting me with a goofy gesture that broke the tension and helped me regain a sense of calm.
Jackson fell in love with chemistry as a sophomore in high school. He was awarded a summer chemistry lab internship during his junior summer at a local Cal State University. As a full-time researcher for a few months, he said, “I feel like I have always been in the chemistry lab.” A few weeks ago, he kicked off his studies at UC Berkeley as a chemistry major and he is loving every minute of it.
I sure miss working alongside Jackson and goofing around with him. Yet, at the same time, I celebrate his new and exciting life while cheering him on from the sidelines. I am grateful for the time we spent together creating and exploring life and work from different angles and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!
As part of his legacy, Jackson recommended a close high school friend, named Ginger Nichols, to take over his job responsibilities. Ginger is a real go-getter and an absolute gem of a human. In addition to attending college full-time, she has a radio show, works another job, is involved in local theater, and has a terrific attitude. When I ask her how she is doing, she always responds, ‘I am doing great” and she means it!
Thank you Jackson for all your contributions to Diabetes Education Services over the years! We miss you and are so thankful that Ginger will be holding up your legacy of hard work and a great attitude combined with a boatload of kindness.
Explaining the pathophysiology of diabetes is no easy task. These fun and effective educational tools help you explain normal fuel metabolism and the defects associated with type 2 diabetes.
In addition, they can be used to motivate patients to lower blood glucose levels through diet, exercise, and medications.
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.
We are living longer & more people are getting diabetes. The American Diabetes Association has updated the Older Adults Standards, with special attention to considering the reduction of medication & insulin therapy intensity. The older population has unique issues & special needs that require consideration as we provide diabetes self-management education. This online course highlights key areas of assessment, intervention, and advocacy for older clients living with diabetes.
Objectives:
Intended Audience: An important course for healthcare professionals seeking to gain an understanding of the special issues and goals for older adults.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it live. Your registration guarantees access to the recorded version in the Online University.
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
This course includes updated goals & guidelines for children living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This course discusses the special issues diabetes educators need to be aware of when working with children with diabetes & their families. We discuss the clinical presentation of diabetes, goals of care, & normal growth & development through the early years through adolescence. Strategies to prevent acute & long-term complications are included with an emphasis on positive coping for families & children with diabetes.
Objectives:
Intended Audience: A great course for healthcare professionals seeking information about providing care for children with diabetes and their families.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it live. Your registration guarantees access to the recorded version in the Online University.
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.
This course will transform your test anxiety into calm self-confidence and test-taking readiness.
She will also review sample test questions and the reasoning behind choosing the right answers. We hope you can join us.
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.
The ADA Standards serve as the definitive clinical handbook for diabetes care professionals. We rely on it to provide evidence-based guidelines and promote best practices.
Have you ever wondered who reviews and updates these standards every year? It is a group of expert ADA member volunteers who are hand-picked based on their extensive knowledge and contributions to the field of diabetes. They dedicate hundreds of hours to this important task and we are very grateful for their hard work and careful review.
Below is a list of the 21 authors for the Standards of Care and ninth on the list is our esteemed guest speaker at our Virtual DiabetesEd Training Conference in April 26-28, 2023.
Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BCPS, BC-ADM, BCACP, CDCES presents for the Virtual Conference for two full days (April 26 & 27th), walking participants through the nitty gritty of the standards, with an effortless fluidity while summarizing key points in the most understandable terms.
On the first day of the Virtual Conference, Dr. Diana Isaacs and Coach Beverly Thomassian tag-team through the 17 ADA Standards, adding in clinical insights, case studies, and plenty of poll questions to test your knowledge in real-time!
On the second day of the Virtual Conference, Diana does a wonderful show and tell demonstrating insulin delivery devices, pumps and CGMs and other gadgets. Plus, she just returned from the International Technology Conference and has lots of exciting updates to share with all of you.
Day 1 – Topics covered by Dr. Diana Isaacs
Day 2 – Topics covered by Dr. Diana Isaacs
Your team is invited to our Virtual DiabetesEd™ Training Conference! Set your team apart and prepare for diabetes certification!
Join this state-of-the-art conference taught by content experts, Diana Isaacs, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, BC-ADM, CDCES, Beverly Thomassian RN, MPH, CDCES, BC-ADM, and Ashley LaBrier who are passionate about improving diabetes care.
Group discounts are available!*
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Many of you have requested to set up payment plans for your orders and we have found a great solution for this! During checkout, on the payment page, you can now select “Shop Pay” to pay in 3 installments instead of just one payment.
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparator
This course will transform your test anxiety into calm self-confidence and test-taking readiness.
“Becoming a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) is one of the best professional and personal decisions I have ever made.” – Coach Beverly Thomassian, RN, MPH, CDCES, BC-ADM
Beverly has custom-designed this course bundle to prepare you for your CDCES Exam. This bundle includes our CDCES Online Prep Bundle (featured above) plus the ADCES (formerly AADE) Review Guide – 5th Edition – Revised. This bundle includes Levels 1 through 3 (AKA Boot Camp), toolkits, plus the ADCES Review Guide.
Included in this bundle is:
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.
For last week’s practice question, we quizzed participants on what is the right LDL target. 37% of respondents chose the best answer. We want to clarify and share this important information, so you can pass it on to people living with diabetes and your colleagues, plus prepare for exam success!
Before we start though, if you don’t want any spoilers and haven’t tried the question yet, you can answer it below: Answer Question
Question:
RZ is 47 years old with type 2 diabetes and hypertension with a UACR of 199 mg/g. RZ takes metformin 1000 mg BID, plus lisinopril 20mg daily. RZ most recent LDL Cholesterol was 130 mg/dL. The provider writes an order for DASH meal planning education and initiation of atorvastatin 40mg.
Based on the most recent ADA Standards, what is the LDL Cholesterol target for RZ?
Answer Choices:
Answer 1 is incorrect. 25.97% chose this answer, “LDL less than 100 mg/dL.” This is a juicy answer since it is the OLD LDL goal from several years ago. But the new 2023 lipid guidelines have even more intense goals for high-risk individuals. Since RZ has diabetes, hypertension, and albuminuria (UACR >30mg/g), they have an elevated risk of ASCVD. Given their risk status, the 2023 guidelines recommend reducing LDL by at least 50% of baseline and target LDL cholesterol to less than 70 mg/dL (see slide below).
Answer 2 is incorrect. 16.63% of you chose this answer, “Lower LDL by 30%.” Another juicy answer. Given RZ’s risk status, the 2023 guidelines recommend reducing LDL by at least 50% of baseline and target LDL cholesterol to less than 70 mg/dL. (see slide below).
Answer 3 is correct. 37.01% of respondents chose this answer, “LDL target of 65 mg/dL or less.” GREAT JOB! Since RZ has diabetes, hypertension, and albuminuria (UACR >30mg/g), they have an elevated risk of ASCVD. Given their risk status, the 2023 guidelines recommend reducing LDL by at least 50% of baseline and target LDL cholesterol to less than 70 mg/dL. Since RZ’s current LDL is 130, the goal is to reduce the LDL by at least 50% (LDL of 65mg/dL) AND less than 70 mg/dL by using a high-intensity statin and lifestyle therapy, (see slide below).
Finally, Answer 4 is incorrect. 20.38% chose this answer, “Determine LDL target based on ASCVD calculations.” Although this information would be helpful, it wouldn’t change the lipid goals. Given their risk status, the 2023 guidelines recommend reducing LDL by at least 50% of baseline and target LDL cholesterol to less than 70 mg/dL, (see slide below).
Thank you so much for reading this “Rationale of the Week”.
We also invite you to join our Online Courses for more information (see info below)
Hope you can join our ADA Standards of Care Webinar Update in February and our other Level 2 Courses.
This course, updated annually, is an essential review for anyone in the field of diabetes. Join Coach Beverly as she summarizes the 2023 updates to the American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and provides critical teaching points and content for healthcare professionals involved in diabetes care and education.
Objectives:
Intended Audience: This course is a knowledge-based activity designed for individuals or groups of diabetes professionals, including RNs, RDs, Pharmacists, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Physician Assistants, and other health care providers interested in staying up to date on current practices of care for people with prediabetes, diabetes and other related conditions.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it live. Your registration guarantees access to the recorded version in the Online University.
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Can’t join all the sessions live? No problem. Your registration guarantees you access to the recorded lectures for a full year.
This bundle is specifically designed for healthcare professionals who are studying for the Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management (BC-ADM) or the Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) certification exam.
Intended Audience: This library of critical information is designed for individuals or groups of diabetes specialists, including RNs, RDs, Pharmacists, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Physician Assistants, and other health care providers interested in staying up to date on current practices of care for people with diabetes and preparing for the BC-ADM or the CDCES certification Exam.
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.
This course, updated annually, is an essential review for anyone in the field of diabetes. Join Coach Beverly as she summarizes the 2023 updates to the American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and provides critical teaching points and content for healthcare professionals involved in diabetes care and education.
Objectives:
Intended Audience: This course is a knowledge-based activity designed for individuals or groups of diabetes professionals, including RNs, RDs, Pharmacists, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Physician Assistants, and other health care providers interested in staying up to date on current practices of care for people with prediabetes, diabetes and other related conditions.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it live. Your registration guarantees access to the recorded version in the Online University.
All hours earned count toward your CDCES Accreditation Information
Sign up for Diabetes Blog Bytes – we post one daily Blog Byte from Monday to Friday. And of course, Tuesday is our Question of the Week. It’s Informative and FREE! Sign up below!
The use of DES products does not guarantee the successful passage of the CDCES exam. CBDCE does not endorse any preparatory or review materials for the CDCES exam, except for those published by CBDCE.