Health Care Providers
The right care can slow or stop the progression of prediabetes, prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, and avert or delay complications from living with diabetes. CDC resources can support your efforts to screen, test, and refer people to type 2 diabetes prevention and diabetes management programs and services.
Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes
One in 3 American adults has prediabetes, but 9 out of 10 don’t know they have it. Health care providers of all types play a critical role in screening, testing, and referring patients to type 2 diabetes prevention programs. CDC-recognized organizations that are part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) can help your patients slow or even reverse the progression of prediabetes and delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
- Learn about this evidence-based program.
- Find out what health care providers can do to prevent type 2 diabetes.
- Find out what pharmacists can do to prevent type 2 diabetes.
- Already implementing a program? Find resources and support at National DPP Customer Service Center
Additional Toolkits and Resources
Health Care Provider Diabetes Prevention Toolkitexternal icon
This American Medical Association (AMA) website has a comprehensive assessment and guided process to support health care organizations in implementing a diabetes prevention strategy, including a National DPP lifestyle change program.
- Find AMA tools and resourcesexternal icon to help promote and implement prediabetes screening, testing, and referral to lifestyle change programs.
Diabetes Management
Health care providers and teams are essential in helping people with diabetes to manage their disease and live well with diabetes.
Guiding Principles for the Care of People With Diabetes or at Risk for Type 2 Diabetesexternal icon
These principles identify and synthesize areas of agreement among existing guidelines to help guide health care teams in delivering quality care to adults with diabetes or at risk for type 2 diabetes (updated August 2018).
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Services
People with diabetes spend most of their time outside the clinical setting, away from their health care team. Living successfully with diabetes means developing the skills to self-manage their condition in the places where they live, work, and play. One way to help is to refer them to or offer DSMES services. These services lead to better patient outcomes: lower A1C levels, fewer diabetes complications, and lower out-of-pocket costs.
- Joint Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics on Diabetes Self-management Education and Support in Type 2 Diabetesexternal icon
Benefits of DSMES, discusses reimbursement and quality standards, and presents an algorithm defining when health care providers should refer their patients with type 2 diabetes to DSMES. - Provide patients with a referral to, and urge them to use, DSMES services. These websites list DSMES services recognized by the American Diabetes Associationexternal icon or accredited by the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialistsexternal icon.
- DSMES Toolkit
Resources and tools to assist with the development, promotion, implementation, and sustainability of DSMES services.
- Find CDC webinars and podcasts offering continuing education credits on diabetes topics.
- Printable Fact Sheets