Medicare to Expand Access to Diabetes Prevention Program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will expand coverage of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) model to patients at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The expansion, beginning January 1, 2018, will ensure at-risk seniors and people with disabilities have access to an evidence-based DPP that can help lower their risk factors and prevent or delay progression to type 2 diabetes. The model is the first to be adopted by CMS that will reach all eligible beneficiaries.
Share Your Experience Using Diabetes Prevention Programs
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) has received a grant from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, in the Division of Diabetes Translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to increase awareness of CDC-recognized diabetes prevention programs that are part of the National DPP.
Take a brief survey to give us feedback on your current knowledge, experience, and challenges with screening, testing, or referring patients to a diabetes prevention program. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes. ACPM will use survey responses to help develop and implement learning opportunities among providers on testing and referring their patients to CDC-recognized programs. All those who complete the survey by Tuesday, November 22, 2016, will be entered into a drawing to win one of three $50 gift cards.
Research on the Effectiveness of Omada Online Counseling Program
Omada Health recently published data in PLOS ONE regarding the effectiveness of their online health program. The study shows that a digital, remotely-delivered intensive behavioral counseling program can help seniors who display risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease achieve significant weight loss. Nearly 90% of the 1,100 program participants completed a majority of lessons (nine of 16) and the average weight loss for all participants was 6.8 percent. Based on economic modeling, the authors estimate an average $1,770 savings in health care costs per participant over three years.
Omada Health is a member of the ACPM Corporate Roundtable, an ongoing forum for mission-aligned private sector organizations to discuss and advance issues of shared interest.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lifestyle Medicine Program Approved for AAFP Credits
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has approved the Lifestyle Medicine Core Competencies Program for up to 30 AAFP Elective credits. Physicians will have the opportunity to earn an additional two prescribed credits for participation in each Translation to Practice® exercise. Visit the website to learn more about the program and opportunities for earning CME/MOC credits.
THE LIFESTYLE MEDICINE PROGRAM IS APPROVED FOR CME/MOC CREDITS FROM SEVERAL MEDICAL BOARDS.
RESEARCH / NEWS
AHA Deems Lifestyle Medicine Competency Training Essential -- In a scientific statement published in the journal Circulation, the American Heart Association declared medical training to achieve competency in lifestyle counseling to be an essential foundation for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and other chronic medical conditions. The authors recommend that physicians become comfortable engaging in conversations with their patients to initiate the behavior modification process, make assessments, provide basic advice, encourage a healthy lifestyle, and refer patients to other healthcare professionals in the appropriate situations. The Lifestyle Medicine Core Competencies Program is specifically mentioned in a section on available postgraduate and CME opportunities for physicians.
