BC ADM Psychosocial Support & Care Coordination 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with diabetes who is experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) presents with unexplained A1C variability. The most important initial action is to:
- Intensify the diabetes regimen to stabilize A1C
- Screen for IPV using a validated tool in a private setting and provide safety resources (Correct answer)
- Refer to social work without conducting the screening yourself
- Focus on carbohydrate counting education at this visit
Correct answer: Screen for IPV using a validated tool in a private setting and provide safety resources
IPV is a major social determinant affecting health outcomes; screening in a private, safe environment and offering resources is a core care coordination responsibility.
Question 2: In population health management for diabetes, which metric is most commonly used to identify patients at highest risk who need proactive outreach?
- Body mass index alone
- Most recent A1C combined with care gap data (Correct answer)
- Number of clinic visits per year
- Patient satisfaction scores
Correct answer: Most recent A1C combined with care gap data
Combining A1C data with care gap analysis (missed labs, appointments, medications) enables risk stratification to prioritize outreach to high-need patients.
Question 3: A patient reports that their religious fasting practices affect their diabetes management. The most appropriate response is to:
- Advise the patient to stop fasting for medical reasons
- Collaborate with the patient to develop a personalized fasting plan that accounts for their beliefs (Correct answer)
- Document the practice and defer to the patient's faith leader for guidance
- Ignore the practice as it is outside the scope of diabetes care
Correct answer: Collaborate with the patient to develop a personalized fasting plan that accounts for their beliefs
Culturally sensitive care requires collaborating with patients to safely modify medication timing and monitoring during religious fasting periods.
Question 4: Peer support programs for people with diabetes have been shown to primarily improve which outcome?
- Reduction in insulin requirements
- Self-efficacy and emotional well-being (Correct answer)
- Elimination of diabetes-related complications
- Improved provider satisfaction scores
Correct answer: Self-efficacy and emotional well-being
Peer support programs are most strongly associated with improved self-efficacy, emotional well-being, and sustained engagement in self-management behaviors.
Question 5: When discussing technology use (CGM, insulin pumps) with a patient, which psychosocial factor should be assessed before initiating?
- The patient's insurance premium amount
- The patient's readiness, numeracy, and comfort level with device use (Correct answer)
- The patient's distance from the nearest specialty clinic
- Whether the patient has previously been hospitalized
Correct answer: The patient's readiness, numeracy, and comfort level with device use
Assessing readiness, numeracy, and comfort with technology ensures that device initiation supports rather than overwhelms the patient's self-management capacity.
Question 6: A patient with uncontrolled diabetes has recently experienced job loss. Which SDOH-informed care coordination step is MOST appropriate?
- Postpone all diabetes management changes until employment is secured
- Connect the patient to insurance enrollment assistance and medication affordability programs (Correct answer)
- Reduce clinic visit frequency to decrease patient burden
- Focus only on lifestyle counseling without addressing financial stressors
Correct answer: Connect the patient to insurance enrollment assistance and medication affordability programs
Job loss often triggers loss of insurance and medication access; connecting patients to enrollment and affordability resources directly supports continued care.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'diabetes empowerment' as opposed to traditional compliance-based care?
- Requiring patients to follow provider-prescribed regimens without deviation
- Supporting patients in taking ownership of their health decisions based on informed values and goals (Correct answer)
- Measuring adherence solely by medication refill rates
- Encouraging patients to research their own treatment options without clinical guidance
Correct answer: Supporting patients in taking ownership of their health decisions based on informed values and goals
Diabetes empowerment shifts the paradigm from provider-directed compliance to patient-centered ownership, aligning care with each person's values and lived experience.
BC ADM Psychosocial Support & Care Coordination 5
A patient with diabetes who is experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) presents with unexplained A1C variability.
The most important initial action is to: