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AADE focuses on ‘driving’ change, patient-centered care
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“Driving change and innovation” is the theme behind this year’s annual meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, taking place in Indianapolis.
Attendees can expect a focus on several key areas, including the latest advances in mobile and digital health trends, new patient-centered care strategies and updates on the latest cardiovascular outcomes trials.
The annual meeting, taking place from Aug. 4 to 7, will bring together more than 3,000 nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, nurse practitioners and diabetes educators to the Indianapolis Convention Center. Attendees can choose from 115 continuing education sessions on topics such as nutrition and obesity, insulin dosing, foot care, oral health, reimbursement strategies and diabetes social media advocacy.
“We had to do a driving theme because we’re in Indianapolis,” Susan Cornell, BS, PharmD, CDE, FAPhA, FAADE, chair of the AADE 2017 Planning Committee, told Endocrine Today. “When we look at the diabetes education landscape, it has evolved so much over the past 30 years. Today’s diabetes educator is not the educator of 30 years ago, or even 5 years ago. As health care changes and the patient-centered, team approach continues to evolve, the diabetes educator is at the center, but the focus has to be on more than diabetes.”
This year’s meeting, Cornell said, will prepare diabetes educators for changes ahead, as well as help them to be more innovative in what they already do with patients each day.
“The meeting itself prepares today’s educator for tomorrow’s world,” Cornell said. “We’re really focusing on not just diabetes, but its related conditions and comorbidities. We are looking at the patient as a whole.”
The 4-day meeting will include updates in cutting-edge research, Cornell said, including the latest information on recent CV outcomes trials, which have changed the diabetes landscape since 2015, as well as sessions on career growth and opportunities.
“We also have several speakers talking about oral health, physical therapy, hearing and audiology,” Cornell said. “There is more about all of these related or linked conditions, and [organizers] are really bringing in the team. The thing I am most proud of with this conference is the true inter-professionalism, bringing experts in from each of the fields to make a difference.”
This year’s meeting also offers several keynote speakers:
- David Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, founding director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffen Prevention Research Center, will lead a session on the relationship between dietary patterns and human health, and how to help clients identify and choose healthful foods, on Friday, Aug. 4, at 7:30 a.m.
- Alison Ledgerwood, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, will speak about evidence-based coping strategies for combating diabetes burnout and promoting resilience on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 a.m.
- Chris Bergstrom, MBA, digital health lead for Boston Consulting Group, will lead “Let’s Get Digital,” a session on leveraging technology to empower patients and providers, and transition from mainstream health care to “connected health,” on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 7:30 a.m.
- Ann Albright, PhD, RDN, director of the Division of Diabetes Translation at the CDC, will outline best practices for the National Diabetes Prevention Program, a first-of-its-kind event geared toward program coordinators and lifestyle coaches of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, according to organizers. The session takes place Thursday, Aug. 3, at 1 p.m.
Cornell said the caliber of presenters offers attendees an advantage.
“You can learn so much from what they’ve done, but also from their mistakes,” Cornell said. “The folks who have been doing this for a while are willing to share with you and help and guide you. For the novice educator, to take advantage of the years of experience in the room is really an opportunity for them.”
“For those who are new to a career in diabetes education, the other important point is to learn from your patients,” Cornell said. “Oftentimes, as an educator, I don’t know it all. But, I’m going to learn from my surroundings. It’s important to recognize and actively listen to what people are saying. You can help people solve their own problems if you actively listen to them.”
The Endocrine Today and Healio.com staff will provide coverage from AADE 2017, including reports on the sessions, onsite video interviews and much more. For more information on the AADE agenda and registration, visit www.AADEmeeting.org. – by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure : Cornell reports she serves on the speakers bureau for Novo Nordisk and Sanofi.