Diabetes Education Delivered Digitally – Cecelia Health’s Program Gets New Recognition

By Gabby Mitchell and Katie Mahoney

Cecelia Health’s virtual diabetes coaching program recently became a Diabetes Education Accredited Program. Now, access to personal diabetes coaching and education programs can be as simple as picking up your phone or logging onto your computer.

The Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES) has approved Cecelia Health’s diabetes management program to be an accredited Diabetes Education Program. The approval means Cecelia Health’s program meets the national standards for Diabetes Self-Management and Support (DSMES), programs that help people with diabetes set and reach health goals. While there are hundreds of DSMES offerings available in the US, Cecelia Health is now one of the few digital DSMES options, which is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is provided to members of participating health plans free of charge.

What is Cecelia Health’s Digital Diabetes Management Program?

Cecelia Health is a virtual platform that focuses on individual coaching and education for people living with chronic conditions. Its diabetes program employs many Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists who help people manage their diabetes and other related chronic conditions, like heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. Cecelia Health partners with health plans, as well as pharmaceutical and medical device companies, to help people achieve better health and adherence to treatment plans.

Cecelia’s Digital Diabetes Management program supplements in-person clinical care that people with diabetes should receive, and includes:

• One-on-one coaching with healthcare professionals

• Contact with expert clinicians through text, phone, email, video, webinars, and patient portals

• Remote diabetes device training, support, and monitoring

• Virtual care through diabetes and mental health clinics

Cecelia Health’s program includes clinician-provided coaching to help people lead healthy lives and prevent future health complications. The coaches build personal relationships to help people with diabetes create an individual plan for improving their health, which involves:

• Behavioral health coaching to support wellness

• Early communication with healthcare teams if people are not taking their medicine or using their diabetes devices

• “SMART” (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals

• Expert education for each individual’s unique plan

• Motivational interviewing to help people become more involved in their care

• Resources like webinars and articles to promote learning

• Follow-up to continue supporting people with diabetes toward their goals

The personal diabetes program has provided care to more than 200,000 individuals, and clinical studies have reported positive outcomes for participants: After three months in the coaching program, more than half of the 85 participants in one study reported a one to two percentage point decrease in their A1C level (baseline average A1C was 9.25%). After six months of the program, 88% of participants in the study were adhering to their medication regimen.

Finally, Cecelia Health recently launched a Spanish-language portal to provide free diabetes education to Spanish speakers. The resource includes live events and articles – access it here. 

The ADCES accreditation recognizes high-quality diabetes education programs. Cecelia Health, a New York-based health tech services company founded in 2009, now joins a handful of other digital diabetes management programs that have already earned this accreditation, including One Drop, Livongo, and mySugr. Click here to learn more about these services. You can also search for other DSMES programs available in your area.