Diabetes Clinic
The Diabetes Clinic was started in 2000 to enhance the care provided to patients with diabetes. The program utilizes a tracking system along with reminder letters when Standards of Care, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association, are not being met. This ensures that patients with diabetes are receiving the best care possible to help them maintain optimal control of their diabetes. By doing so, patients are provided with the care necessary to help them manage their diabetes and prevent complications associated with this disease.
The American Diabetes Association's Standards of Care are as follows:
- Diabetic visits with a provider: every 6 months for adults and every 3 months for children
- Blood Pressure: every visit <130/80
- Dilated eye exam: 1 time per year with an optometrist or ophthalmologist
- A1C: 2 times per year if meeting treatment goal and 4 times per year if goals are not being met
- Cardiac Risk: 1 time per year
- Cholesterol: <200
- Triglyceride: <150
- HDL: >40 male and >50 female
- LDL: <100
- Microalbumin: annually unless there is a diagnosis of microalbuminuria
- Liver and Kidney Function tests: annually
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone test in Type I diabetics, dyslipidemia and women over the age or 50: annually
- Influenza vaccine: annually
- Pneumococcal vaccine: at least 1 per lifetime
- Foot exam: comprehensive exam 1 time per year
- Dietician: annually
- Certified Diabetic Educator: annually
- Dental exam: minimal annually
The program also utilizes 72 hours continuous glucose monitors, which record a glucose reading every 5 minutes for a total of 28 readings per day. This allows providers to look at any patterns or trends the patient may be experiencing that are not evident with standard blood glucose monitoring. Oral medications and/or insulin regimen can then be modified to better manage a patient’s diabetes. The Diabetes Clinic also offers services for continuous infusion insulin pumps. The clinic can provide insurance pre-authorization, training for initiation of an insulin pump, and monitoring and adjustments of insulin needs while on the pump. For more information concerning the Diabetes Clinic, please call the Diabetes Coordinator at 701-483-6017.
