Must-see Education Sessions at ADCES23: Our Top Picks

We’ve worked hard on curating the educational lineup for this year’s ADCES conference, and let me tell you, there are tons of awesome sessions to pick from.

After much consideration, we managed to narrow down the list to a selection of five on-site sessions, along with an extra three that you can enjoy on-demand.

Get comfy and let’s dive in!

Exploratory Analysis of Medication – Taking Behavior and Social Determinants of Health Among Older Adults with Diabetes in the US

Michelle L. Blakely, PhD, MEd, NCC, Assistant Professor, University of Wyoming

This study explores how social determinants of health affect medication habits in older adults with diabetes. The findings indicate that individuals with disabilities, limited access to proper food, and English as a second language face the highest risk of nonadherence.

What caught our attention about this session is the significant proportion of adults aged 65 and older in the US, currently around 17%, projected to increase to 20% (or one-fifth of the population) by 2030.

This demographic is often underserved, with over 10% living below the poverty line according to the National Council on Aging. Managing the healthcare of this population presents a unique challenge due to the prevalence of comorbidities beyond diabetes, along with associated costs.

We want to help this population within the walls of the hospital and long-term care (LTC) facilities, so the transition to home is simple, affordable, and applicable to this stage of life.

Simplify Inpatient Protocols and Glycemic Management Processes

Mihail Zilbermint, MD, MBA, FACE, Chief and Director, Endocrine Hospitalist Program, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians at Suburban Hospital

Inpatient diabetes management presents inherent challenges, with order sets and paper protocols contributing to confusion and potential errors. This becomes particularly pronounced in small community hospitals, where guidelines and glycemic protocols may not have been updated to align with optimal standards of care for glycemic management.

As a provider of a diabetes management tool, we recognize managing glycemic levels poses challenges. Many clinicians perceive practice guidelines to be complex, often leading to misinterpretation and errors. Here at Monarch, we effectively reduce the complexity of intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SubQ) insulin implementation through standardization, simplification, and the use of verified tools. This streamlined approach has not only enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of insulin dosing, but it has also notably improved nurse satisfaction.

Become a Diabetes Technology Champion: A Perspective from the Trenches

Anastasia Albanese-O’Neill, PhD, APRN, CDCES, Director, Community Screening and Clinical Trial Education, JDRF International

This session will explore the profound impact of technology on enhancing outcomes for individuals with diabetes, fostering job satisfaction among nurses, and assisting diabetes care team members with daily issues and outcomes. Where would we be without glucose meters? Back measuring with glucose strips, no doubt. The advent of insulin pumps has simplified and extended the life of people with Type 1 diabetes. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) has taken the place of paper charting. The CDCES embracement and insight to future technology is vital to instituting the best care for our patients.

The role of CDCES is critical in ensuring that facilities and clinicians are up to date on the latest technology, standards, and resources available to care for patients with diabetes. Serving as front-line leaders and representatives within both inpatient and outpatient settings, CDCES professionals play a vital role in driving the adoption of innovation, technology, and practice change. As a medical technology company, we consider ourselves to be on the forefront of inpatient and long-term care facilities’ insulin dosing.

Discuss Common Behavioral Health Cases with a Diabetes Psychologist

Nicole Bereolos, PhD, MPH, MSCP, CDES, FADCES, Psychologist/CDES

Living with diabetes can be tough, both physically and emotionally. CDCES’s are specialists in diabetes and the plethora of issues which come with the disease process. CDCES’s have long championed the need for behavioral health as a challenge for people with diabetes. There is a painful shortage of specialization in behavioral health regarding diabetes.

Bring your most challenging behavioral health-related cases to this session and consult with a behavioral health specialist and your peers.

On-demand Programs Not to Miss

Now, do not forget to check out the on-demand programs too! Here are our top picks:

Provide Diabetes Care and Education for People Experiencing Mental Illness

Christine Zaveson, RN, MSN, PHN, TTS, CDCES, Nursing Supervisor, Inpatient Psychiatric Facility and Crisis Services, Butte County Behavior Health

This session delves into providing diabetes care and education for individuals with moderate to severe mental illness. You will learn how this team provided services to “reach those who have historically not received care for their diabetes.” They will share the strategies used to provide education and support via case studies.

The focus on mental health is clearer than ever. Patients with diabetes and especially long-term diabetes can have several mental health issues, not the least of which are anorexia and depression. Think about those repeat patients with several admissions in a week or month, they have usually been well educated. For them, it is not about learning, it is about applying what has been learned and the want or desire to improve their diabetes self-care.

Ready Your Hospital for CMS Harm Measures for Severe Hypo/Hyperglycemia

Mihail Zilbermint, MD, MBA, FACE, Chief and Director, Endocrine Hospitalist Program, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians at Suburban Hospital

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are shining a spotlight on glycemic management with the implementation of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMS) as part of its Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program in 2025 with data collection starting this year (2023). To avoid possible financial reimbursement impact, facilities need to be keenly aware of how to avoid the reportable hypo- and hyperglycemic events.

We are thrilled to see the government getting involved. This session will discuss the benefits and challenges of clinical quality measures and emphasize the need for guideline-based glycemic management in hospitals. Our technology is ready to help attenuate both hypo- and hyperglycemia!

Define, Develop, and Use Glycemic Metrics to Improve Inpatient Care

Barbara Kocurek, BS, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES, FADCES, Director Strategic Initiatives, Baylor Scott & White Health

Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are sadly all too common in hospitalized patients with diabetes. This session will define glycemic metrics, show you how to develop metrics for inpatient care, and provide real-life examples of metric use to improve patient outcomes.

A big part of how we help our customers is by figuring out their goals and areas where they can improve. Looking retrospectively at glucose control and management is often a revelation. You must know where you are at, to know where you want to go, right? As compensation is more focused on quality care, these metrics are becoming compulsory to assist with positive outcomes.

Visit Us at the Monarch Medical Technologies Booth #1532

Remember, if you are attending ACDES, swing by Monarch Medical Technologies booth #1532. We would love to meet you in person.

Monarch Medical Technologies is a digital health company committed to helping hospitals and health systems deliver optimal glycemic management for critical care and non-critical care patients. The company’s FDA-cleared EndoTool® Glucose Management System is designed specifically to displace traditional manual methods of insulin dosing with an intuitive and easy-to-use software application that integrates seamlessly with all major EMR systems.