Your Diabetes Care Team is made up of many people-including you

Published: November 30, 2020

Whether you are living with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes, you need help and support to live well with your disease. Living well, starts with you. You are the most important member of your diabetes care team. After all, you are the one who is affected by diabetes and cares for it every day. Only you know how you feel and what you’re willing and able to do. You make and eat the foods on your meal plan. You take the medicine or inject the insulin. You do the exercise. You check your blood sugar (glucose) levels and keep track of the results. And of course, you are the first to notice any problems. Your diabetes care team depends on you to talk to them honestly and to tell them how you feel. Your diabetes care team should include the following:

Your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner): Your family doctor or nurse practitioner is a key “point” person who can help you with day to day issues and refer you to other members of the team.

Your family doctor or nurse practitioner is responsible for checking your A1C, ensuring you get your eyes checked and ordering necessary lab work including a lipid profile. Checking your blood glucose at home with a meter tells you what your blood sugar level is at any one time, but suppose you want to know how you’re doing overall. The A1C test gives you a picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3 months. The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes care plan is working.

Endocrinologist: An endocrinologist is a doctor who specializes in treating diabetes and other diseases of the endocrine system. The endocrine system is a system of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into the bloodstream to regulate some of the body’s functions.

Many people with Type 2 diabetes may never need to see an endocrinologist. Your family doctor or nurse practitioner may refer you to see one if you are having trouble getting your diabetes under control or are developing severe complications from your diabetes.

People with Type 1 diabetes may be referred by their family doctor or nurse practitioner to see an endocrinologist.

Diabetes Wellness Team: This group is made up of registered nurses and registered dietitians, 95 per cent of them Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE). A CDE is a health professional, committed to excellence in diabetes education, who has a sound knowledge base in diabetes care/ management and education processes, as well as good communication skills. They can help you to better understand diabetes and to deal with common issues that may arise when you are managing the disease. This team works together with your family doctor, nurse practitioner or your endocrinologist to support you (and someone close to you) to live a healthy life.

Podiatrist, Chiropodist or Foot Care Specialist: Diabetes makes you prone to poor blood flow and nerve damage in the lower legs. You may get infections more often. Sores, even small ones, can quickly turn into serious problems. Any foot sore or callus needs to be checked by your family doctor, nurse practitioner or your foot care specialist. Do not try to fix these yourself, because you could cause more harm. But do inspect your feet daily for signs of skin breakdown, redness, blisters etc.