Happy Tuesday!
Being a diabetic means you have a list of other doctors besides your endocrinologist.
All diabetics need a podiatrist and an ophthalmologist. Sprinkle on a CDE and a nutritionist.
Some of us need a neurologist and a nephrologist. Oh I am sure I can keep going and going.
But what about the other medical professionals in our lives? Say a cardiologist, OB/GYN or an ER doctor? Shouldn’t they know what a pump is? CGM? The difference between Novolog and Regular? NPH and Lantus maybe? How about an easy one… the difference between Type 1 and Type 2?
I don’t think mental health professionals should be held to this standard. If some of them want to specialize in diabetes in relation to their field, then awesome!
I am not saying they should know the latest and cutting edge diabetes technology. But I think they should at least know how certain things work. They should know a CGM monitors blood sugar…. continuously and that pump delivers insulin delivers… insulin
Shouldn’t a cardiologist know at least that diabetics have a higher risk of heart attacks? I don’t know. Am I expecting too much in the year of 2010?
In the past few months I have been mortified with the responses, actions and and reactions of doctors and their staff, whether in person (i.e. ER doctor) or when I called specialists’ offices asking “How familiar are you with diabetes”. Here were some of the answers I got:
“I see many patients who are on diets”. – Neurologist Office
“He [doctor] does not see pregnant patients with any disorder” -Cardiologist Office
*note: This is not a office ob/gyn office. This person thought that diabetes is something you get while pregnant. This turned out to be a long call. P.S. I’m not pregnant*
“What exactly is a Continuous Glucose Monitor?” -ER Doctor
” 10 units of Regular and 10units of Novolog. They are both the same thing” -ER Nurse
Well I have to say, while I continue looking for specialists that fit the bill both in skills and attitude, the doctors I have now and their offices are sent from the heavens above.
Its OK MD’s and RN’s. We don’t need you to know the difference between an Animas and a Minimed pump. We just need you to know the basics.
I am so with you on this one!
I was floored when I realized that the nurses at my OBs office did not know the difference between Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes. Then I started asking around … not many of my doctors or nurses knew the difference!
My new tactic is that I never assume anything. When I tick “Diabetes” on a new patient questionnaire, I always write TYPE 1 in big letters next to it. When the nurse goes over the form with me, I ask her if she knows the difference, and then I explain.
When I go back for a follow up, I remind them that I have Type 1 … and then I ask if they know the difference … again.
Nici,
I think that is an awesome trick. Explain the first time and ask them again later!
Thanks for the comment!
Amen!
I know that they can’t possibly know EVERYTHING, but these are BIG DEALS when treating people with diabetes!
Great post!
Yess, it is frustrating to be in the position of educating our doctors – it makes it hard to feel safe in their care if they don’t even know what our major chronic illness means!
I’m also amazed at how little medical professionals know. When I was in the ER, none of the doctors had ever seen an insulin pump before. They were all curious to see what mine looked like and how it functioned.
I think it’s difficult to hold a secretary or nurse to the same standards you would hold a doctor to. Even ER docs. They are not trained beyond the basics and there really are reasons behind this.The amount of knowledge an ER doc must retain and the amount of illnesses they need to know about are unbelievable. This is not to say that we shouldn’t educate them. I have held actual demonstrations and q&a sessions while a patient in the ICU. Most of the time the doctors you see in the hospital are interns. Basically they are a step above students, so I treat them that way.
Isn’t it sad that people who go to college for eons aren’t expected to know as much about diabetes as we are? It saddens me. But hey, it’s opportunity to educate which is never a bad thing in my book!
Venus-
I am looking for a new Endo and PCP. I am a little nervous! all of the reasons you listed above makes me miss my old Doc’s in CA! All medical professionals reading Venus’s post please pay close attention.