P610 - T2D and Obesity Co-Management in Primary Care: Elevating the Role of Diabetes Education

The majority of persons living with T2D (PWD) and obesity in the United States receive care for these conditions in primary care settings. Co-management of T2D and weight has the potential to support optimal health outcomes in this growing population, yet strategies to address weight are often not integrated into the treatment plan. Many factors contribute to this particularly challenging care gap, including lack of access to diabetes self-management education and support, and therapeutic inertia in the advancement of medications prescribed. This poster describes a quality improvement (QI) initiative to identify, implement, and evaluate strategies to integrate co-management of T2D and weight management best practices into primary care settings to support providers and persons with T2D and obesity in achieving optimal outcomes. The initiative used an iterative, four-stage problem-solving model for improving a process or carrying out change called “Plan-Do-Study-Act”, which can assist the DCES in conducting QI initiatives. The authors share the action plans to close key gaps that were formulated and implemented in the program clinics and the subsequent follow-up roundtables that were conducted per PDSA methodology. Authors: Michelle F. Magee, MD, MedStar Health Diabetes Institute, Washington, DC; Carine Nassar, MS, RD, CDCES, MedStar Health Diabetes Institute, Washington, DC; Jennifer Balmer, PhD, PRIME Education; Jennifer Morgan, PharmD, BCPS, PRIME Education; Jeffrey Carter, PhD, PRIME Education; Laura Simone, PhD, PRIME Education; Cherilyn Heggen, PhD, PRIME Education. Funding source: An independent educational grant from Lilly USA, LLC, which had no role in the study design, execution, analysis, or reporting.