title: The impacts of "growing our own": a pilot project to address health disparities by training health professionals to become certified diabetes educators in safety net practices.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of incorporating certified diabetes educator trainees into medical practices on patient diabetes outcomes.
  
  
  
  This was a mixed methods practice-based evaluation study undertaken in 2 primary care practices in high-poverty neighborhoods in Buffalo, New York. The evaluation entailed a physician-referred patient cohort with pre- and postanalysis of chart review data corresponding to the American Diabetes Association's diabetes indicators. Patient charts were reviewed at baseline and 12 months. A brief survey was administered to the providers and staff to ascertain the extent to which the certified diabetes educator trainees were perceived as useful as part of the medical practice team.
  
  
  
  Among 74 patients enrolled in diabetes classes, A1C levels decreased from a mean of 8.8% to 8.3%. Among a subset of patients (35%) with poorly controlled diabetes at baseline (A1C ≥ 9), there was a 15% decrease in A1C levels. Overall improvement in A1C was observed among 219 patients seen by a diabetes educator, in either a diabetes education class or a one-on-one visit.
  
  
  
  Results suggest that having a certified diabetes educator trainee as part of the primary care practice team may advance diabetes care, as evidenced by improvements in glucose control. Responses from providers and staff suggest that the certified diabetes educator trainees were well integrated into the practices and were perceived as instrumental in educating patients to better manage their diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)
authors.forename: Laurene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tumiel-Berhalter
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)
authors.forename: Rona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Aniello
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danzo
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)|Jefferson Family Medicine Center, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Fox, Dr Patel)
authors.forename: Chester H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Kahn, Dr Tumiel-Berhalter, Ms D’Aniello, Mr Danzo, Dr Fox, Mr Taylor, Ms Holland, Ms Glaser)
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.affiliation: Jefferson Family Medicine Center, Department of Family Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Dr Fox, Dr Patel)
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Jericho Road Family Practice, Buffalo, New York (Dr Glick)
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006302:Health Services Research; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care