Mary Julius is being recognized for significantly advancing the service provided to individuals with diabetes through her leadership in the National VA-DOD Virtual Diabetes Self-Management Education Program. As Quality Manager, she oversees all aspects of the program, which includes implementing and evaluating diabetes education and support across multiple locations. Her pioneering efforts include introducing Continuous Glucose Monitors to the VA and expanding the program to 27 successful locations.

Julius's work involved developing a comprehensive virtual education platform, the VA Virtual Medical Center (VMC), which allows patients to access diabetes education and support through avatar-based interactions. This virtual approach has expanded to several VA hospitals and DoD locations, providing critical diabetes management training to Veterans and servicemembers.

The benefits of Julius's achievements are profound: the Virtual DSMES program, accredited by the American Diabetes Association, has improved diabetes management for users, leading to better health outcomes. It offers essential education on managing diabetes, which helps individuals achieve better control over their condition. The program has demonstrated significant success, including an average A1c reduction of 1.65 and over 25% improvement in behavioral goal attainment for more than 90% of patients. By providing accessible, high-quality diabetes education, Julius's efforts are enhancing the lives of many and setting a new standard for diabetes care in the VA and DoD systems.