Using Telehealth Trainings to Facilitate Tobacco Cessation in American Indian Patients with Diabetes

Objective: To train healthcare providers serving the American Indian (AI) population in Motivational Interviewing skills to facilitate non-ceremonial tobacco cessation in patients with diabetes.

Methods: Non-ceremonial tobacco use and exposure contribute to devastating health effects, especially for people with diabetes.  In New Mexico (NM), diabetes and commercial tobacco pose challenges to health providers, especially those who work with the AI population.  Healthcare providers in NM have limited resources for continuing education.   To address these limits, the Diabetes Prevention & Control Program (DPCP) and the Tobacco Use Prevention & Control Program (TUPAC) at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) integrated efforts and collaborated with providers serving the AI population.  This work identified a critical training gap: the need for education in eliciting behavior change in patients with diabetes, especially those who are exposed to or who use commercial tobacco.  Challenges presented were the distance between healthcare providers serving the AI population, limited financial resources and lack of established relationships with AI providers. 

Results: Partners used telemedicine to deliver training in Motivational Interviewing to over 60 healthcare providers from NM and AZ.  A post training survey will determine incorporation of skills into practice.  This collaborative work has facilitated stronger relationships between NMDOH and healthcare providers serving the AI population.   

Conclusion:  State health department programs can effectively work with outside partners to develop and implement healthcare provider training that is accredited and has exceptional reach across two or more rural states.  Partnership with a university-based telemedicine project allowed for training at very low cost per participant.