Innovative use of telehealth education earns American Diabetes Association recognition status.
February 22, 2021 – (Orlando, FL) – Engineering & Computer Simulations (ECS) announced that its Virtual Medical Center (VMC) Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Training Program, developed for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), has been awarded American Diabetes Association (ADA) recognition status.
Waymon Armstrong, ECS CEO & President explains: “ECS has been serving our Veterans by providing accessible healthcare services in a collaborative virtual environment via the VA VMC for eight years. The need for this type of telehealth accessibility has increased significantly due to the global pandemic. Our team is proud to deliver this educational resource not only to our Veterans but also to diabetes patients who may be homebound due to the health crisis.”
This ADA recognition status is unique in that it has been simultaneously awarded to the VA and Department of Defense (DoD) and spans across all 50 states. Following completion of the DSMES pilot, Veterans, DoD beneficiaries, and active-duty personnel, who are receiving VA or DoD care but may be located anywhere throughout the world, will be able to access this program. VA and DoD registered dieticians, nurses, and physicians wishing to meet the requirements to become Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE) may also access the training.
The VMC DSMES program meets the same rigorous educational standards as traditional face-to-face programs and includes the “teach-back method” where patient and caregivers avatars answer questions regarding understanding and action items related to the key elements of diabetes self-management, including diet, exercise, glucose monitoring, managing medications, and avoiding hypoglycemia.
According to the American Diabetes Association, there are an estimated 1.6 million Veterans receiving Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care who are living with diabetes. About 70% of this group are over 65 years old with about one in four receiving insulin and approximately one in five having chronic kidney disease.
