The online guide (https://rin-diabetes.de/wegweiser) on diabetes mellitus, which was developed as part of the RIN Diabetes program, provides patients, family members and the interested public a clear overview of information on physicians, counseling centers, self-help groups and prevention services. In addition, the identification of the research fields relevant to people with diabetes was an important step towards greater consideration of patient needs when initiating research projects. With the topic "Information Needs of People with Diabetes", the focus of this year's event was on the patient's point of view. “The needs of people with diabetes have so far been scarcely investigated in Germany," said Professor Michael Roden, scientific director and board member of the DDZ.

Professor Andrea Icks, director of the Institute for Health Services Research and Health Economics at the DDZ, presented a systematic overview of available studies on the information needs of people with diabetes and presented the first results on the information needs of participants in the German Diabetes Study. Dr. Bernd Hagen of the Central Research Institute of Ambulatory Health Care Health Insurance (ZI) reported on experiences from 15 years of disease management programs (DMP) for people with diabetes and the associated changes in patient education programs. Dr. Gabriele Seidel, managing director of Patient Education of the Hannover Medical School, talked about how to involve people affected by diabetes to increase self-management and health competence.

A “Market of Possibilities” offered the guests of the event the opportunity to inform themselves about projects of the RIN Diabetes as well as network partners and their services and offerings. “Contacts within the network and exchanges between partners are a central component of RIN Diabetes," emphasized Dr. Olaf Spörkel, project manager of RIN Diabetes. He said that for him, "The interdisciplinary discussion on current issues in the healthcare industry and (diabetes) care is necessary in order to jointly develop innovative measures for diabetes prevention and research."

The RIN Diabetes project was initiated in 2014 at the German Diabetes Center as an inter- and transdisciplinary network. Currently, more than 60 partners are involved in the project, including practicing diabetologists, self-help groups, health insurance companies, pharmacies, associations, companies, hospitals and public authorities. The aim of all partners is to reduce the number of people suffering from diabetes in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area, to inform them about new research approaches and treatment options for the disease, to reduce the number of diabetes-related late complications such as nerve and organ damage and, as a preventive measure, to create awareness of a balanced diet and sufficient exercise in everyday life in the area of child and youth work.

For further information, see: http://rin-diabetes.de (German only)