1. What are the key characteristics of the Indian Health Diabetes Best Practices?
A best practice usually meets the following conditions:
Can be used by people and programs at all levels of a diverse organization.
Is based on data and evidence.
Can be locally adapted.
Is recognized by a group of experts as a standard of excellence.
A best practice must also be:
Documented.
Updated.
Clearly communicated throughout the health care organization.
Implemented as part of a planned approach to improving services.
2. How were the Indian Health Diabetes Best Practices developed?
To develop the first set of Indian Health Diabetes Best Practices, the IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention convened a Best Practices Workgroup in February 2001. The Workgroup included experts from the IHS, Tribes and Tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, the IHS Model Diabetes Programs, and project coordinators from Special Diabetes Program for Indians grant sites. The Workgroup developed 14 best practices for successful diabetes prevention, treatment, and education practices in American Indian and Alaska Native communities (see list in question 2 below). The best practices were based on findings from the latest diabetes scientific research and outcome studies, as well as diabetes programs’ own successful experiences in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
The IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention convened a second Best Practices Workgroup in August 2005. The goals of this Workgroup were to:
Update the existing 14 best practices and develop four new best practices.
Improve and standardize the format of the best practices.
Determine how chronic care could be applied to applicable best practice models.
4. How are the 2006 Indian Health Diabetes Best Practices different from the previous versions?
The 2006 best practices:
Have been updated with the latest scientific evidence in a new format.
Incorporate elements of the Chronic Care Model+, including a discussion of how the entire health care organization must be involved. The model’s elements include:
- Community resources and policies.
- Health care organization leadership.
- Patient self-management support.
- Delivery system design, including services, programs, systems, and procedures.
- Decision support, including information and training for providers.
- Clinical information systems, including collecting and tracking information.
Provide information on:
- Evaluating and sustaining your program.
- Contacting others for help.
- Real-world examples of diabetes programs.
+Adapted from the Chronic Care Model, which was developed by the MacColl Institute for Healthcare Innovation at the Group Health Cooperative. For more information on the Chronic Care Model, visit their website at www.improvingchroniccare.org.
7. Why are there two versions of each Indian Health Diabetes Best Practice – short and long?
The short (two-page) version provides an opportunity to see if your program is ready to consider adopting the best practice.
The long version provides detailed information, including references and potential contacts, your program will need when ready to implement the best practice.
In the long versions of most of the best practices, you will find descriptions of and contact information for programs that have implemented the recommended best practice.
If you have questions about the best practices, please contact the IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention via email: diabetesprogram@mail.ihs.gov.
9. Is the IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention planning to collect information about how these the Indian Health Diabetes Best Practices are used by diabetes programs in Indian health system?
YES! Evaluating your program’s use of the best practices is very important to the reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.