Who Does DSMT?
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DSMT is performed by health care professionals who have credentials and expertise in diabetes education. Certified diabetes educators (CDEs) are mostly nurses and dietitians, but there are also growing numbers of ophthalmologists, occupational therapists, physician assistants, optometrists, pharmacists, physical therapists, and physicians. To become credentialed, applicants must meet the credentialing requirements for their professional background and complete a minimum of 2 years of professional practice, accumulating 1000 hours of DSMT experience.
Along with the CDEs, who work collaboratively with primary care physicians, a growing number of registered nurses and registered dietitians are now involved in the advanced practice of diabetes management. Credentialed as Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management (BC-ADM), these people are certified to help manage people with diabetes and to be involved in their education. The Advanced Practitioner in Diabetes Management has an advanced degree and is able to do the following:
- Perform complete and/or focused diabetes assessment
- Recognize and prioritize complex data in order to identify the needs of patients with diabetes across the life span
- Provide therapeutic problem solving, counseling, and regimen adjustment
Forty-six states now require that health plans include reimbursement for DSMT.
9 If physicians are unsure of which health plans accept referrals for DSMT, they should contact the managed care organizations with whom they are contracted.
For DSMT to be covered by Medicare, the physician must make a referral to a program that is recognized by either the ADA Education Recognition Program (ERP) or the Indian Health Service. To be recognized, a CDE must be a part of such a program.
