Improved Diabetes Care Through Medical Assistant Training and Support

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Improved Diabetes Care Through Medical Assistant
Training and Support

• Sally Hurst, BA
• Marshall University
• Center for Rural Health

Marie Gravely, MA, RD, LD,CDE West Virginia
University Office of Health Services Research
Nell Stuart, MS, RD, LD, CDE West Virginia
University Office of Health Services Research
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Cabin Creek Health System

• 3 rural health centers
• 1 school based health center
• 50,000 visits per year
• Services provided
• Medical
• Pharmacy
• Behavioral health

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Mid-Level staff is valued and plays key role

• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Pharmacist
• Social Workers
• Medical Assistants

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Medical Assistant Role

• First contact with patient
• Identifies current medical problems
• Reviews medications
• Obtains vital signs
• Provides education
• Integrate self-management strategies

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The Intervention

• Training
• Stanford CDSMP Workshop/Leader Training
• Art Science of Diabetes Care
• Support
• Strategic planning and TA
• A new EMR (HEALTHeWV) populated with patients
  with diabetes

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Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

• 18 MAs completed the 6 week workshop
• CDSMP Leader Training
• Support ongoing workshops
• Integrate strategies

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CDSMP Self Reported Outcome

• Increase in the of minutes per week on exercise
• Gained understanding about what it means to eat
  healthy and plans to make improvements
• Practice of cognitive symptom management
  techniques
• Change in health status
• Plans to use self management skills and tools
  with patients (18 of 18)

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Art Science of Diabetes Care

• Diabetes Curriculum
• Developed by WVU, Marshall, and WV DPCP
• 4 weeks, 2 hours
• 1 location
• Blocked out patient schedule for MAs to attend

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Science of Diabetes Outcomes

• Diabetes mean score
• Pre-test 53
• Post-test 66
• Cardiovascular mean score
• Pre-test 50
• Post-test 86

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EMR Documentation of Self Management Goals
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Next Steps

• Train newly hired MAs
• Cross-train in Stanford Diabetes Self Management
  Program July 09
• Monthly lunchtime self-management support group
• Develop tools to prompt self-management goal
  setting

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• This presentation was supported by
  Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number
  U32/CCU322734 from the Centers for Disease
  Control and Prevention.
• Its contents are solely the responsibility of the
  authors and do not necessarily represent the
  official views of the Centers for Disease Control
  and Prevention.

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Thank You!
Sally Hurst, Rural Outreach Coordinator Marshall
University Center for Rural Health shurst_at_marshal
l.edu 304-574-3384 In collaboration with Marie
Gravely and Nell Stuart West Virginia University
Office of Health Services Research