Beyond Blood Sugar: Improving kidney and lipid care in diabetes

Project Partners

Primary Care Networks (PCNs)

Physician Learning Program (PLP)

Northern Alberta Primary Care Research Network (NAPCReN)

Webinar speakers: Dr. Darren Lau & Dr. Donna Manca

Background

One-third of individuals with diabetes are at risk of developing kidney disease, which significantly increases their likelihood of cardiovascular mortality. With the incidence of end-stage kidney disease rising among this population, proactive and multidisciplinary care is essential—especially for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Primary Care Networks (PCNs), with access to Certified Diabetes Educators, Nurse Practitioners, and Nurse Educators, are uniquely positioned to manage this challenge. A quality improvement (QI) framework can further improve outcomes for both patients and care teams. Additionally, people with diabetes face a 2 to 4 times higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in this group.

Aims/Objectives

Enhance primary care team capacity to manage diabetes-related kidney and cardiovascular disease

Deliver a 3-part educational webinar series to share clinical strategies and QI tools

Support early screening and risk reduction for CVD and CKD in diabetic patients

Provide actionable tools and peer-reviewed resources for sustained practice change

Promote reflection, implementation, and continuous improvement through feedback and case-based learning

Findings/Summary

The webinar series ran from January to March 2025, covering diabetes-renal disease connections, cardio-renal protective therapies, dyslipidemia management, and complex case discussions. Attendees received tools such as “How to Read My AGP,” a continuous glucose monitoring guide, and “MyL3Plan,” an accredited QI tool. Sessions incorporated aggregate NAPCReN data and emphasized practical approaches to care and improvement. Participation was strong across all sessions, with 186–191 registrants per event and high asynchronous viewership. All participants reported the sessions were relevant, met their learning needs, encouraged practice reflection, and increased confidence in applying changes. Educational recordings and a curated “Pearls for Practice” resource bundle were made available online to support asynchronous, ongoing learning.

Conclusions/Outcomes/Impact/Implications

The webinar series successfully supported primary care providers in addressing diabetes-related CKD and CVD. By integrating quality improvement tools with clinical education, it strengthened team-based care capacity, facilitated peer learning, and promoted sustainable change. Participant feedback confirms strong engagement, practical relevance, and readiness to implement new practices—laying the groundwork for improved long-term outcomes in diabetes management across Alberta.