What should we expect from clinics after a diabetes diagnosis?
What kind of care should people expect after being diagnosed at a clinic, urgent care or emergency room?
During the diabetic screening, I heard several stories where people had gone to one a medical facility were told they could be Pre-diabetic or diabetic. They were "patched up" given a prescription and left without any long term care plans. Of course I think this is horrible and grossing under serving the community. I counseled the these people and told they need be under the care of an Endocrinologist to get a proper diagnosis.
This just made me think shouldn't the public expect more from our medical facilities? If they were given an HIV/AID dx'd would they have offered all kinds of counseling and resources? I can under stand their position but I also think they can deliver information about community resources for diabetics. I would have loved to have the information about the several diabetic clinics they have here in Los Angeles. I eventually dumped my internist for a Diabetic Clinic that gave me better care.
Am I wrong for thinking this way?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Stuart on -
While understandable, and certainly a very reasonable view... the process is a tad more complex in many ways. Consider, if the diagnosis was/is on the basis of a single blood test... does that trigger the diabetic team (whatever their specific approach/bent) into "action"? Should it ?
How bout taking various and assorted blood tests over a couple of weeks time, or a few months? If the original result was not a mistake, a technical error, what approach do you begin with? Throw a net over someone and train them for a week, or a month ? Or do you let them alone and let their honeymoon period run its full course, and wait until there is no further question re: that initial diagnosis?
There are all kinds of methods, approaches that could be taken, which might slow the onset, or if really fortunate might prevent the disease from progressing at all. What approach should a medical professional take prey tell?
If you/I are a different kind of person, had a different temperaments, various approaches would meet with severe resistance, seething denial, or worse. How things are presented, the issues, the diagnosis will make a HUGE difference. And that requires intense skill to do it well...
Life altering disease, potentially permanent, must be presented carefully. Sometimes a cold is just a cold, and not a DIABETIC cold. In short, the word diabetes does not need to start every sentence, every syllable. If you like the person who is currently treating you, and their tools, their methods work for you... keep em.
If the tools, the presentation is not sufficient, seek better counsel elsewhere... IMHV. Been to many so called "specialty clinics" whose sole focus was diabetes and was never impressed by them. Textbook diabetes care was taught, but more personal, more in the mud instruction would have been far better I propose.
An endo will work, if there is any major problems. But if you dislike their personality, loathe their particular approach on whatever level, then your local MD might not be a "bad place" to begin. Like you, I slap my head at the ~stamp on the forehead~ routine we hear about, here's your meter, you're a diabetic, see your doctor on Monday game which lots receive. That's a stupid presentation... on any level you can conceive of.
Who would you like to do that initial counseling?
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Permalink Reply by Jeannie Wagner on -
My problem with counseling would be what information would you teach. Many CDE's do a type of counseling but they give out a lot of bad information. I think a lot of us who have learned to manage our bgs have done it on our own, with little help from our doctors. Many associations believe and HbA1c of 7 is great control. That is an average bg of 154. Yikes!!!. I love online support groups. You see all types of views and see others success stories. The same thing does not work for everyone. I think the best information I got was from Dr Bernstein's book when he said every diabetic desereves to have normal bgs.
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