Identify DRIVE Champions – Type 2 Diabetes
For a successful DRIVE program, Champions need to be identified.
A Champion can be ANY individual who has the determination and enthusiasm to address a health need or improve a health issue in a clinical area.
Champions are responsible for leading, understanding, managing, planning, collecting data, and implementing the DRIVE program, as well as training and communicating with staff as the quality improvement (QI) project is being activated in their practice, system, or community.
In general, there are usually 2 or 3 individuals serving as Champions to lead a DRIVE program. At least one of these individuals needs to serve as a medical lead, such as a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Typically for a DRIVE program, Champions consist of a physician or advanced practitioner lead, along with a non-physician individual.
Launch with the DRIVE Team
Health systems, community-based organizations, and practices can begin to establish a foundation for the DRIVE program in their practice, system, or organization by guiding their teams to address the following:
- Educate the community, patients, and/or practice team about type 2 diabetes and its impact, especially in communities of color
- Engage and learn from your community by implementing a town hall or focus group
- Ascertain data on disparities in type 2 diabetes prevalence, incidence, comorbidities, and health outcomes at the local, county, and/or state levels
- Assure that strategies for protecting clinic staff and patients from COVID-19–through vaccinations, personal protective equipment (PPE), physical distancing, use of telemedicine—align with evidence-based type 2 diabetes care, including for people of color
- Identify people with particular expertise in quality improvement (QI), type 2 diabetes treatment, regional resources, or trusted voices to help develop your program (eg, QI chief, type 2 diabetes researcher, endocrinologist, patient advocate, community leader, etc.)
- Map local resources for type 2 diabetes education and lifestyle change support
- Enable the potential expansion of the DRIVE program beyond early efforts