Cost

• Professionals: $75
• Students: $25

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

PURPOSE

The Summit will provide an engaging forum to discuss the latest practices, opportunities, resources, and tools for diabetes prevention, control, and management. National, state, and local experts will share innovative and best practice strategies to reduce the burden of diabetes and empower patients and their families to live healthier lives.

TARGET AUDIENCE

All members of the healthcare team who work in the treatment and management of diabetes.

EDUCATIONAL NEED

Diabetes is no longer viewed in isolation but rather as a core component of a complex cardiometabolic syndrome. While the foundational pathophysiology involves insulin deficiency in Type 1 and systemic insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes, the clinical challenge has evolved. We now recognize that hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity form an interconnected web of risk factors that accelerate multi-organ damage. Managing diabetes today requires a comprehensive cardiometabolic approach, focusing not only on lowering blood glucose levels, but also on proactively protecting the heart, kidneys, and liver. 

The scale of this epidemic remains a critical public health priority. According to the CDC, between 38% - 40% of U.S. adults have prediabetes, yet more than 80% are unaware of their condition. The gap is particularly stark in Iowa, where roughly 34% of adults live with prediabetes, but only 7.2% report having received a diagnosis from a healthcare provider. This "diagnosis gap" represents a missed opportunity for early cardiometabolic intervention and lifestyle-based prevention strategies.

Modern diabetes care must transcend beyond clinical markers such as A1C. A holistic, person-centered approach recognizes that the individual, not the disease, is at the center of the care model. This requires integrating social determinants of health, including food insecurity, health literacy, and access to care; addressing behavioral health concerns, such as diabetes distress and mental health burdens that impact self-management; and promoting shared decision-making that personalizes medical management and lifestyle modifications according to each patient’s unique values, culture, and life circumstances.

This annual summit showcases the latest advancements in cardiometabolic health and integrated diabetes care. By moving beyond traditional glucose management, we aim to improve quality of life and long-term outcomes through a comprehensive strategy. Topics include the latest in pharmacological therapies, such as SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 RAs, evidence-based lifestyle medicine, and robust support systems designed to empower the whole person.