Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Toolkit

DSMES Toolkit

The DSMES Toolkit is a comprehensive resource for achieving success in diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) services. Expanded use of DSMES services can help ensure that all people with diabetes receive the support and education they need.

Featured Content

DSMES Promotion Playbook
Find customizable marketing materials to help tell people with diabetes about DSMES services.

DSMES Medical Billing Playbook for Pharmacies [PDF – 1 MB]
Find guidance on enrolling a pharmacy as a Medicare Part B provider and the steps for obtaining medical reimbursement of DSMES through Medicare’s DSMT benefit.

Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) services provide an evidence-based foundation to empower people with diabetes to navigate self-management decisions and activities. People who participate in DSMES have been shown to have better diabetes-related outcomes than those who do not.1

Despite considerable evidence that DSMES services are cost-effective and improve diabetes-related outcomes, use of DSMES services is low. In the United States, less than 5% of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes and 6.8% of privately insured people with diagnosed diabetes have used DSMES services.2,3

This toolkit is designed to support health departments, health care facilities, community organizations, and others increase use of DSMES services among people with diabetes and promote health care provider referrals. It provides resources and tools in one place to assist with developing, promoting, implementing, and sustaining DSMES services.

Specifically, the toolkit is designed to:

  • Communicate the evidence supporting DSMES services, including clinical and economic benefits.
  • Clarify the process for establishing DSMES services that meet minimum standards and are eligible for reimbursement.
  • Provide resources and tools to become a recognized or accredited DSMES provider.
  • Describe common barriers to DSMES use and referral and provide tips for overcoming these barriers.

Note: Although the toolkit offers a wide range of tools and resources, it is not an exhaustive guide to all aspects of DSMES service implementation.

Disclaimer: The DSMES Toolkit provides website addresses and links to resources from nonfederal and federal organizations solely as a service to readers. Provision of a website does not constitute an endorsement of the organization by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of other organizations’ webpages, nor for the accuracy of guidance provided by other sources.

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