1.7 million adults are diagnosed with diabetes each year, if the trend persists, 33.3% of the American adult population will have diabetes by the year 2050. Chronic disease trends, and staggering statistics of the future prospect Americans workers are facing in developing diabetes, is a call to action to stakeholders to develop a framework focused on averting diabetic complications, and preventing diabetes in the workplace. Recent literature on chronic disease self-management revolves around patient centered care delivered in a holistic approach by a health coach in the primary care setting. Coaching in the context of health care is defined as inspiring individuals to effectively manage their health needs (Spross & Babine, 2014). According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), diabetes self-management education and support (DSME/S) is an integral part of standard diabetic care, this ADA recommendation carries a “B” level of evidence, is reimbursable by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as some private insurance entities, and should be a component of any comprehensive primary care plan at initial diagnosis (ADA, 2014). Self-management is the active engagement of oneself in order to execute healthy lifestyle behaviors to effectively manage chronic disease (Powers et al, …show more content…
Additionally, Thomas’s work found employees with diabetes have healthier self-management at home compared to self-management in the workplace, indicating a workplace health coach could positively influence diabetes self-management while at work, and potentially eliminate workplace barriers to self-care (Thomas, 2011). Currently, guidelines for diabetes management while at work are related to job protection and discrimination such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for self-management, however, no provision exists to support diabetes self-management during work such as an onsite health coach readily available to provide employees with diabetes management assistance and