In the first episode in a multi-part diabetes technology series, Kathryn Evans Kreider DNP, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, FAANP, joins The Huddle to discuss integrating diabetes technology into primary care. She talks about the importance of embracing digital technology in primary care and how health care professionals in primary care can take tangible steps to better utilize the technology available to them.
In the first episode in a multi-part diabetes technology series, Kathryn Evans Kreider DNP, FNP-BC, BC-ADM, FAANP, joins The Huddle to discuss integrating diabetes technology into primary care. She talks about the importance of embracing digital technology in primary care and how health care professionals in primary care can take tangible steps to better utilize the technology available to them.
Learn about the latest advances in diabetes technology on danatech: Diabetes technology for healthcare professionals | Danatech
Check out the two-part Integrating Diabetes Technology into Primary Care course here:
Dana Moreau
Welcome to the Danatech Talks, a special series from “The Huddle: Conversations with a Diabetes Care Team” powered by ADCES. I'm Dana Moreau, the head of digital products and Danatech at ADCES. And today we're going to delve into the latest in diabetes technology, bringing you expert insights, clinical strategies, and the innovations that are shaping care today. Whether you're new to diabetes technology or looking to get to that next level of expertise, Danatech Talks is your source for the latest learnings.
So let's get started. Today we're speaking with Kathryn Evans-Kreider, clinical professor and director of the endocrinology specialty at Duke University School of Nursing and nurse practitioner of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition at Duke University Medical Center. Kathryn’s going to be discussing the importance of embracing digital technology in primary care and how primary care providers can take tangible steps to better utilize the technology available to them. Welcome, Kathryn.
Kathryn Evans-Kreider
Thanks so much Dana, it's good to be here.
Dana
Good to have you. Can you go ahead and introduce yourself, share a little bit about your background in primary care?
Kathryn
Absolutely, yeah. So I have had the privilege of being an endocrinology nurse practitioner for the last 17 years. And now I do a lot of teaching. So I teach both endocrinology and primary care nurse practitioners about advanced diabetes management. And a large part of that these days is talking about diabetes technology. So that's a big part of what we do and what I am passionate about teaching other providers about.
Dana
And you were recently one of our faculty members on the newest Danatech and AANP collaborative, Integrating Diabetes Tech into Primary Care, which has been hugely successful, so thank you. Why was this project interesting to you, and why do you think it's crucial for primary care providers to get more knowledgeable about diabetes technology today?
Kathryn
You know, I think that the wave and the trends that we're gonna see in the coming years is that diabetes technology is really going to move from endocrine into primary care as a centralized place because it's exploding, right? Patients are asking for it. They're seeing excellent results. They're safer. They feel better. They have better quality of life. And so the ability for us as endocrine providers and endocrine nurses and nurse practitioners, for example, to be able to move this into primary care and show that it's not too overwhelming. It's actually really doable. It's really rewarding for both us and especially for patients. And that's really, I think, the direction we're moving is more centralized into the primary care setting.
So one of the things I love about that course is actually kind of that main message of: you can do this in primary care. Which is probably still, I mean, to this day, not everybody believes they can. Sometimes things sound more complex than they actually are, but I think we're helping kind of move the needle on that. So, like in thinking about that course, what are some of the topics covered that you think are probably most valuable to professionals in primary care that are thinking about becoming more knowledgeable on this topic?
Kathryn
I think one of the most valuable things is that it's applicable no matter where you're coming from. So if you have really no foundation in diabetes technology and you want to start from the ground up, it's great because we cover foundational topics. We talk about who's the right candidate for these devices and who should you consider them for. Also if you have more knowledge and you want to start adding tools in your toolbox, it's also really helpful. We talk about continuous glucose monitoring. We talk about insulin smart pens. And then we also cover AID systems, so automated insulin delivery systems. And so kind of, like I said, no matter where you are in that spectrum of starting to think about incorporating and offering these to your patients, you'll gather something from one or more of those topic areas.
Dana
Definitely. I mean, we want it to sound easy, like it's easy to incorporate into their practice. But clearly there are some challenges as well. Why do you think, I mean, primary care has been sort of slower than other areas to adopt and to learn these technologies?
Kathryn
Yeah, I think there needs to be a shift in mentality because I sort of alluded to, we've always thought diabetes technology was meant for endocrine, right? If they need, even if they need insulin, send them to endocrine or if they need a CGM or definitely if they need a pump. But now the technologies are becoming so much easier to use, not only for patients, but for us. And so the barriers in primary care, I think it's pretty easy to identify that it's overwhelming. Primary care, there is a lot to cover. And when you have a patient with diabetes, you are usually not just talking about diabetes, you're talking about all the other comorbidities that they may have. And so that's a clear barrier, that time is always a barrier. But the goal of this series is really thinking about how much it's going to benefit you. So, you will have to put in some time on the front end to get the software into your clinic, to learn how to do patient uploads, to learn how to troubleshoot, but it will be worth every minute of your time that you put in and more, because you're gonna see the benefits that patients have and they're gonna love it and you will love it as a provider.
Dana
Kathryn, one question I have for you, are there specific misconceptions or fears that either primary care or other physicians or health care professionals have about diabetes technology? And how does this course help dispel them?
Kathryn
Sure, you know, the first thing that comes to mind is talking about insulin pumps and the AID systems. And historically, if someone needed an insulin pump, they would definitely be sent to endocrine. And that's not the case anymore. These devices are much more accessible. They are usable in any setting. You definitely need training. You need to know how to guide your patients and the right patients to put on these devices and the different nuances to that. But I think the old myth that those patients always go to endocrine, they're only managed by endocrine is just not where we are anymore in diabetes tech in 2025. So that's a good thing. That's a really positive enhancement that we have now. And it provides opportunities for more and more patients to access the devices.
Dana
I mean, thinking about that, can you kind of share maybe some of the examples of how diabetes technology is transforming care for patients in primary care, potentially some things that were outlined in the course or just other things that you've noted?
Kathryn
Yeah, I think if you're starting from scratch, right, CGMs are excellent and I would say best place to start continuous glucose monitoring, figuring out how to offer it to the right patients to incorporate that in your practice. The uptake and consistency of my patients with continuing the use of these devices is very, very high. I would say 95% or more. They love it. Even the ones that are nervous to start, they don't know if they're going to want to use it because they see the benefits from using the device. So I would start with that. And then from there, then considering the incorporation of insulin smart pens for your patients that use insulin. And that can be really a game changer for insulin tracking, for dosing accuracy, and then for integration back into the CGMs. So those are really good foundational things to consider. And then if you're starting that, then figuring out how to enhance those offerings to patients so that you can really help optimize their care. And as health care in general is evolving, how do you see the role of primary care professionals evolving in diabetes technology, especially as it becomes more and more advanced and more widely adopted?
Kathryn
I think it's going to start becoming more housed in primary care. You know, I think that now when patients come from primary care to endocrine, most of them don't have devices yet. And I think that trend is going to change because of the access is improving, patient awareness of the devices is improving. I hope, I hope I'm projecting correctly and it could take some time, but I do think that it's going to become more and more common that it's just a routine part of diabetes management, right? Where it's more top of mind for people and that we're offering it sooner than later and that no longer would patients have to wait until they get into a specialty setting in order to get access to the technologies.
Dana
Okay, great. And something I was thinking about previously, if like a primary care professional hasn't really done much in this area but wants to get started, where would you point them to? What should they start with?
Kathryn
Yeah, and again, I think this is a good place to start with this particular presentation that we have because it does provide really good foundational tips, but it also has case studies and we kind of walk through common things that you experience. We come at it from a very practical perspective. From a primary care perspective, it's not too advanced, I think, if you're starting from scratch. But I would recommend talking to other practices in your area and asking them about their personal experiences, figuring out how to get the software incorporated, you know, just the basics, right? I think sometimes those things are the things that hold us up because we don't know exactly what to do. And we talk a bit about that. We talk about things like billing and coding, just like the really practical parts of having these technologies in your practice setting. So, if you're starting from scratch, I recommend starting with CGM and building from there and then, you know, participating in a training like this that really starts the foundational principles.
Dana
What is the one thing you'd like every primary care professional listening to this podcast to take away from this podcast or from that course?
Kathryn
If I have to pick one thing, I would say if your patient is on insulin, please prescribe them a CGM. It's the safest thing to do. It's going to change their life, their quality of life, our ability to care for them and provide evidence-based recommendations. I actually have had many patients that I take off insulin after they're on CGM. Maybe they were placed on insulin years and years ago and they actually don't have autoimmune diabetes. They have plenty of C peptides. They end up not needing insulin. It just was the best choice a long time ago. And now we can kind of rework their regimen. So, gathering the most amount of information is critical. And that's really the best way to do it with CGM.
Dana
Okay, terrific. And then for those interested, where can they access the course? How can they start implementing these insights right away?
Kathryn
Yeah, so Dana correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's accessible on Hippocrates on the AANP website for members and then the ADCES website as well. Does that sound right?
Dana
That is correct, and it is a two-part series with 1.75 CE/CME, et cetera. So again, you can see Kathryn and Dana and Kate. And hopefully learn a little bit more about integrating diabetes tech in your practice. Any final thoughts on the future of diabetes technology in primary care or honestly elsewhere, anywhere?
Kathryn
This is a really exciting time to be in diabetes management, to be caring for patients. We have so much more we can offer them now, and it's just been a joy to have these new technologies that we can incorporate. And it's truly a joy to see people's lives be changed. And I think that's obviously the goal that we would hope for is we don't care about numbers only, right? We care about quality of life and we care about all the other parts of living with diabetes. And these tools really can change and improve quality of life, which is exciting.
Dana
All right, thanks Kathrynso much for being with us here today on The Huddle podcast. Hopefully everyone will take this opportunity to log on to adces.org or the AANP website and look for this course, Diabetes Technology: Integrating into Primary Care. We think you'll love it. And that's a wrap for this episode of Danatech Talks. We hope you found today's discussion valuable. Stay ahead of the curve with more expert-led conversations on diabetes technology.
Want to explore even more? Check out the notes section of this podcast or visit danatech.org for in-depth resources, training, and the latest in diabetes tech. And don't forget to subscribe to The Huddle so you never miss an episode. Thanks so much for tuning in and we can't wait to see you next time. And just a reminder, the information in this podcast is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable for your individual standards circumstances. This podcast does not provide medical or professional advice and is not a substitute for consultation with a health care professional. Please consult your health care professional for any medical questions.