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Abstract
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States (US), and those living with diabetes have a poorer prognosis than non-diabetics after suffering from major illnesses, including angina, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic illnesses in the United States and contributes greatly to increased rates of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and blindness. However, diabetic patients receive only about 45% of the recommended care suggested by 13 national diabetes guidelines. As the US healthcare system transitions to a focus on prevention and chronic illness management, evidence-based practice is being used to inform new strategies of diabetes management.