Promotion of Guidelines
and Tool Kit to Health Care Professionals

The Coalition’s first goal was to develop and promote a common guideline for the care of adults with diabetes based on the clinical recommendations of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The reason for creating a common guideline was the need to reduce duplicative information being sent to physicians by health plans, medical societies, health departments and others. By delivering a common, consistent message, Coalition members aimed to increase the use of standard treatment guidelines by clinicians in Westchester County. In 2000 the NYDC Guidelines for Adult Diabetes Care (PDF) was endorsed by all NYDC members and all HPA member plans .

In addition to the guidelines, a comprehensive tool kit to help physicians, other health care professionals and patients in the management of diabetes was developed and disseminated. The “Tools for Better Diabetes Care” tool kit was distributed to primary care physicians (PCPs) in Westchester County in 2000, and in 2003 to Westchester County PCPs and eye care professionals. In 2003, the tool kit was also sent to PCPs in Suffolk County through the assistance of Assemblyman Robert Sweeney and the Suffolk County Department of Health. Components of the tool kit are also being continually distributed by our members, initiative partners and others

Statewide Adoption

In 2005, the New York State Department of Health Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) elected to adopt the NYDC’s Guidelines for Adult Diabetes Care. In addition, several other components of the “Tools for Better Diabetes Care” have been adopted and sent to more than 25,000 health care professionals statewide as part of a comprehensive “Diabetes Prevention and Management” tool kit. The NYDC partnered with the DPCP in the assembly of this tool kit and the creation of several new management and prevention tools.

The NYDC diabetes management tools can be ordered in the NYDC Tools section of this website. The entire tool kit, including prevention tools for adults and children, can be found on the DPCP website.(www.nyhealth.gov/diseases/conditions/diabetes/adult_tool_kit.htm)