The FlexIT Health Professional Training Program was launched by the Education Service at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (Baker) in 2016. The face-to-face two or three day is designed to upskill knowledge and expertise in teaching flexible insulin adjustment principles along with other topics including carbohydrate counting, exercise, alcohol and sick day management.
Completion of the 3 day program is required to become an accredited FlexIT client program provider. Accredited providers are given lesson plans, resources and evaluation procedures to deliver the Baker client program in their health service.
The FlexIT client program is now being facilitated by accredited providers in Perth WA, Black Swan District WA, Bendigo VIC, South Gippsland VIC and Warragul VIC alongside the current program delivered at Baker, Melbourne VIC.
Participants are evaluated at four time points; pre, post, 3 and 12 months after completion. Questionnaires assess diabetes knowledge (adapted MDRTC Diabetes Knowledge Test), self-management behaviours (Self Care Inventory-Revised Version), self-efficacy and confidence (Confidence in Diabetes Self Care Scale), diabetes distress (Problem Areas In Diabetes Questionnaire) and carbohydrate counting (adapted PedCarbQuiz).
A total of 68 participants have completed the program. Mean age 45 years, 52% male and mean duration of type 1 diabetes was 18 years. 14 of these participants have completed the questionnaire at 3 time points (pre, post and 3 months post program) to date. Improvements in self-efficacy and confidence have been demonstrated 3 months post program with mean confidence score 66.25 improving to 77.40 which was significant (p=0.0145). Feelings of distress have also significantly reduced with values reducing by 11 points from a mean average score of 22.59 to 10.57 (p= 0.0101), 3 months post program.
In conclusion the FlexIT client program has positively demonstrated improvements in self-efficacy and reductions in diabetes distress. Further evaluation and follow-up will be required to determine the long-term impact of this program on type 1 diabetes management.