Alaska Area Model Diabetes Program

Alaska Native Medical Center
Anchorage, Alaska

Ann Marie Mayer, Coordinator
4315 Diplomacy Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Phone: (907) 729-1125
Fax: (907) 729-1129
E-mail: amayer@anmc.org

Program Description

Comprised of a physician, dietician (certified diabetes patient educator), nurse practitioners and program secretary. Alaska is as wide as the lower 48 States and larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. There are 171 remote villages in Alaska primarily accessible by plane. Village populations range from less than 25 to over 1000, although the norm is between 100 to 400 residents. Areawide Program since 1986.

Data & Epidemiology

• Develops and maintains statewide diabetes registry
• Site visits to review charts, confirm diagnosis, gather data related to diabetes care and outcomes
• Provides area-wide and region-specific reports on the prevalence and incidence of diabetes and related mortality and complications
• Provides technical assistance on grant reports.

Clinical Accomplishments

• Annual site visits to 8 Regional hospital facilities to provide clinical diabetes care, consultative services, registry up-date, and chart audit
• Local diabetes outpatient specialty clinics
• Inpatient consults on patients from villages throughout the state
• Area-wide diabetes consultants for clinical care, nursing management, medical nutrition therapy, psychosocial issues and programmatic concerns
• Evaluation of care provided to patients. This is done by performing chart audits in all 13 service units throughout Alaska.
• Technical assistance with analysis of audit information
• Development of foot care program throughtout the state
• Liaison between statewide medical providers and diabetes team.

Community Activities

• Conducts an Advanced Health Aide Course on Diabetes for which participants obtain 3 college credits (University of Alaska)
• Provides cooking classes
• Develops service announcements on radio and television
• Maintains diabetes web pages
• Assists communities with diabetes education and prevention activities
• Publishes quarterly Community Health Aide Newsletter

Education Programs

• Provides professional in-service training on diabetes during site visits
• Conducts annual statewide conference
• Maintains clinical information on an Internet page for professionals
• Provides training for other departments involved with diabetes care (physical therapy, vascular lab, etcetera).

Resource and Product Development

• Develops diabetes electronic flow sheet in R P M S for case management statewide
• Provides culturally appropriate patient education materials to providers in villages
• Interacts with private and volunteer organizations concerned with diabetes in Alaska
• Advocates for people with diabetes whose diverse needs are difficult to meet in a complex system
• Represents Alaska's concern at National meetings about diabetes care and related issues.