Alberta’s Diabetes Working Group aimed to identify ways to improve diabetes care in the province during its first meeting recently.
About 403,000 Albertans have been diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and that number is expected to increase to 573,000 by 2032.
The Diabetes Working Group will provide advice to Minister of Health Jason Copping on how to improve care and provide recommendations on steps that may help prevent Albertans from developing Type 2 diabetes.
“Each year, the number of Albertans diagnosed with diabetes increases and this trend is concerning,” said Copping, who virtually attended the group’s first meeting.
“Finding ways to more effectively prevent, screen for and treat this serious, chronic condition is critical. With the group’s expertise and experience, and the insights gathered through this review, we can establish a way forward that better meets the needs of Albertans at risk for and living with diabetes.”
The Diabetes Working Group was created to address how diabetes care is delivered in Alberta. The working group will identify gaps in the current diabetes care pathway and determine how to provide better overall care while ensuring programs and services are sustainable.
Recommendations will be shared with the minister of health in the fall.
Sixteen individuals are conducting this review and making recommendations for improvement as members of the working group.
“This is a unique opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review of diabetes prevention and management in Alberta and provide recommendations that can positively influence the care of Albertans at risk for, affected by and living with diabetes,” said Dr. Julie McKeen, Diabetes Working Group co-chair.
Fellow co-chair Dr. Peter Sargious added: “Most of my medical practice and leadership roles have involved helping Albertans prevent or manage diabetes and its complications. I’m excited about the breadth of this review, and its potential to make a difference in the health of so many citizens – in both the years and decades ahead.”
The working group will also receive input from a variety of other representatives from the diabetes community, such as manufacturers and community advocacy groups, to ensure that all perspectives and experiences are considered while developing recommendations for the future of Alberta’s diabetes care pathway.
For more information, visit www.alberta.ca/diabetes-working-group.aspx.
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