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    EXPERTS: Today’s word to jump-start a solution-focused practice

    Today’s word is: EXPERTS

    If you’ve been following our blog, you know that we’re in a series addressing how to move towards a solution-focused practice….one word at a time. This week our word, EXPERTS, applies to both diabetes care and education specialists (DCES) and people with diabetes (PWD). You can read more about STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITIES, and incorporating the input from experts in their diabetes management here.

    The Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES) recently published two technology focused papers in The Diabetes Educator journal addressing the role of DCESs in leveraging technology to improve outcomes in people with diabetes. You can find a link to the ADCES landing page here that highlights both papers and includes links to two different podcasts with the primary authors of each paper.

    The Identify, Configure, Collaborate (ICC) Framework

    Deb and co-authors of A Framework for Optimizing Technology-Enabled Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Care and Education document a systematic approach to incorporating technology into the diabetes self-management plan known as The Identify, Configure, Collaborate (ICC) Framework. It is a model to support DCESs to maximize and ensure successful use of technology. We’ll walk you through the 3 components of this framework when incorporating technology into care…

    IDENTIFY: First, identify technology tools that will support self-management and decrease the burden of living with diabetes. It’s important to identify individual bias regarding technology to ensure everyone is offered tools to support them regardless of their age, gender, race and socioeconomic status among others. DCESs are technology champions and can have a big influence regarding technology use. However, we don’t want to be “gatekeepers” denying technology based on our assumptions. 

    CONFIGURE: Once a tool is identified, configuring the settings and plan for use is just as important.  Technology can only improve outcomes if the tools are used to their fullest potential. For example, helping PWD enable alerts and alarms or weekly email notifications when using continuous glucose monitors (CGM)  can help them learn from their own diabetes data in real-time. Mobile apps can be configured to capture patient generated health data (PGHD) that is meaningful to the individual.

    COLLABORATE: Finally, viewing all of the data generated from the technology tools then engaging in collaborative discussions around what the data means and how to make health behavior or medication changes is essential. The DCES is the key team member to support  PWD in the use of technology. DCESs have been focusing on PGHD since the invention of blood glucose monitors and are experts in using data to manage diabetes. And, the use of PGHD can support PWD as experts in their own diabetes as they learn how  food choices, activities, stress, and medication, among other things affect them.

    When incorporating a solution-focused approach into practice, the client is recognized as the expert in their own life and their own diabetes. Clients already have the resources and strengths to move forward to achieve their desired future state. When considering incorporating technology to support diabetes self-management, begin by acknowledging PWD as EXPERTS, prior to identifying and configuring tools, and then collaborating to modify the treatment plan. Create an opportunity to learn from your clients and discuss the value and benefits technology has provided them, as well as the challenges and burdens. This collaborative discussion can help all of your clients as technology evolves.

    Each week we invite readers to participate in a solution-focused challenge. Our solution-focused challenge for this week is to focus on your clients as the experts when incorporating technology and applying the ICC Framework.

    1. Identify and highlight the client’s strengths, positive qualities, resources, and ability to generate solutions prior to suggesting technologies.
    2. Configure technology tools that focus on the details of the solution instead of the problem.
    3. Collaborate to develop action plans that support what is working well for the individual.

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    If you are a health care professional and interested in learning more about our solution-focused practice and approach, when you subscribe to our blog, we’ll send you in return a FREE resource of 10 Solution-Focused Questions to start a solution-focused discussion with your clients. 

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    Deb is an employee of Dexcom but view here are her own