Position Overview
Element Health is seeking a Diabetes Care & Education Specialist to serve as an integral member of the care team within a reputable OB/GYN practice in Birmingham, Alabama. This position provides specialized diabetes education and nutrition care to patients across the reproductive lifespan, with a primary focus on gestational diabetes, pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy, and metabolic conditions affecting maternal and fetal health.
The Diabetes Care & Education Specialist works collaboratively with OB/GYN physicians, nurses, and other members of the clinical team to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care. The role includes individualized Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES), glucose monitoring, ongoing patient follow-up, and communication with providers regarding clinical concerns and treatment needs.
The ideal candidate is a clinically confident, collaborative professional who can work independently while functioning effectively within a physician practice. This position requires strong clinical judgment, excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering compassionate, culturally responsive care.
Key Responsibilities
Diabetes Education & Clinical Care
- Provide individualized and group diabetes education, with an emphasis on gestational diabetes and diabetes in pregnancy.
- Provide evidence-based DSMES addressing glucose monitoring, nutrition, physical activity, medication/insulin use, hypoglycemia prevention, and lifestyle management.
- Deliver individualized MNT for prenatal, postpartum, diabetes, metabolic, and women's health needs (RDN)
- Assess patients' clinical, nutritional, behavioral, and social needs and develop individualized, patient-centered care plans.
- Educate patients on blood glucose monitoring and assist patients in understanding glucose patterns and pregnancy-specific glucose targets.
- Evaluate patients for appropriate use of diabetes technology, including continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), when clinically indicated.
- Monitor patient progress through ongoing glucose review, follow-up, and reassessment.
- Identify persistent hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, monitoring gaps, and other clinical concerns and communicate appropriately with the physician/provider team.
- Support patients prescribed insulin by providing education regarding administration, timing, storage, hypoglycemia prevention, and adherence within the established physician-approved clinical protocol.
- Reinforce physician-directed treatment plans and facilitate timely communication between patients and providers.
Care Coordination & Collaboration
- Collaborate closely with OB/GYN physicians, nurses, medical assistants, and other members of the care team to coordinate patient care.
- Communicate clinically relevant patient information to providers in a timely and professional manner.
- Participate in care planning for patients requiring increased monitoring or treatment escalation.
- Provide care through both in-person and telehealth visits, utilizing the most appropriate modality based on patient needs, clinical risk, and practice expectations.
- Support patients across the practice's locations, including satellite offices, as appropriate.
Documentation & Quality
- Maintain timely, accurate, and clinically appropriate documentation in the electronic medical record.
- Track patient outcomes, glucose control, follow-up, and treatment progression.
- Participate in quality improvement initiatives, including ongoing evaluation of patient access, clinical outcomes, diabetes management processes, and patient engagement.
- Contribute to the development and refinement of patient education materials, clinical workflows, policies, and program protocols.
- Participate in continuing education and maintain current knowledge of evidence-based diabetes and prenatal nutrition practices.
- Support the ongoing quality and recognition requirements of the practice's recognized diabetes education program.
Patient Engagement
- Use motivational interviewing and patient-centered counseling techniques to support sustainable behavior change.
- Provide culturally responsive education that considers health literacy, socioeconomic factors, cultural food practices, and individual patient preferences.
- Establish trusting relationships with patients during pregnancy and through the postpartum transition.
- Help patients build practical skills and confidence to independently manage their diabetes.
Qualifications Required
Candidates must meet one of the following professional pathways:
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) through the Commission on Dietetic Registration, with applicable state licensure; OR
- Registered Nurse (RN) with current state licensure
Preferred
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credential strongly preferred.
- CDCES eligibility with a demonstrated commitment to pursuing certification will be considered.
- Experience or specialized training in gestational diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy, prenatal nutrition, women's health, or maternal-fetal medicine strongly preferred.
Experience
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in diabetes education, clinical nutrition, nursing, or a related clinical specialty preferred.
- Experience working in an OB/GYN, maternal-fetal medicine, women's health, or physician-practice setting strongly preferred.
- Experience providing individualized patient education and behavior-change counseling.
- Experience working with electronic medical records and multidisciplinary care teams.
- Demonstrated ability to independently assess patients, prioritize clinical needs, and communicate effectively with physicians and other healthcare professionals.
The successful candidate will be:
- Clinically strong and comfortable managing patients with varying levels of diabetes complexity.
- Collaborative, with the ability to develop strong working relationships with physicians and clinical staff.
- Proactive and accountable, recognizing clinical concerns and escalating them appropriately.
- Highly organized, with the ability to manage a growing caseload and prioritize patients based on clinical risk.
- Patient-centered, with excellent counseling and motivational interviewing skills.
- Adaptable, with comfort providing both in-person and virtual care.
- Detail-oriented, particularly with clinical documentation, glucose review, follow-up, and care coordination.
- Committed to evidence-based practice and continuous quality improvement.
Schedule & Work Environment
- 28–30 hours per week
- Primary work location: Birmingham, Alabama
- Primarily in-person within an established OB/GYN practice
- Combination of in-person and telehealth patient encounters based on clinical needs and practice workflow
- Additional clinical hours may be available in other Element Health clinical settings for candidates interested in expanding their schedule.
Why Join Element Health?
This is an opportunity to play a meaningful role in a collaborative women's health environment while helping patients develop the knowledge and skills needed to manage diabetes during pregnancy and beyond. The Diabetes Care & Education Specialist will have the opportunity to contribute not only to direct patient care, but also to clinical quality improvement, program development, education, and the advancement of diabetes care within the practice.
Comprehensive benefits are offered based on employment status to support the diverse needs of our team.
Element Health is committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate care that improves health outcomes for patients and families.
Pay: $35.00 - $38.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
