Complex Diabetes: Managing Medical and Social Issues

Every Friday, 8:00 – 9:00 AM

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Rates of both diabetes and prediabetes in Illinois are higher than the national averages. An estimate 13% of the population (1.3M people) has diabetes and an additional 38% (3.6) has prediabetes, with 90-95% of all cases attributed to Type-2 diabetes (T2D). Diabetes prevalence among Black populations is 18.7%, compared to a prevalence of 7.1% among non-Hispanic white populations. The disproportionate burden of diabetes is evident in Chicago. Current demand for endocrinologists far exceeds the number of trained specialists. As a result, patients and providers often experience frustration in getting timely access to specialty care. With many subspecialists limiting the number of uninsured or underinsured patients they treat, access to subspecialty care becomes even more difficult for Medicaid and uninsured patients and their providers. While diabetes care is usually in the province of primary care providers (PCPs), reported barriers among PCPs in diabetes care include limited resources and environmental constraints, limited knowledge and skills in complex diabetes management, frequently changing diabetes recommendations, lack of comfort or familiarity in initiating insulin regimens, and difficulty with patient adherence. This series aims to provide PCPs with practical knowledge and skills that will help them implement and sustain evidence-based practices and navigate the complexities of diabetes care and management for both type 1 and type 2, including information and skills about delivering comprehensive diabetes care in resource-constrained communities, and integrating medical and social care delivery in healthcare settings.

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Glucose-mediated insulin release
• Atypical Diabetes (Classifying DM in patients with atypical presentation)
• Engaging Patients, Motivational Interviewing, Shared Decision Making
• Real-world food recommendations
• Current Trends in Glucose Monitoring
• Medication Management for T2D, Non-insulin therapies
• Initiating Insulin Therapy for Patients with Type 1 DM, Prescription Writing Tips, and Carbohydrate Counting
• Initiating Insulin Therapy in T2D: Newly diagnosed Patients and Those with Progression of Long-Standing Disease
• Pumps/Insulin Pens/Non-insulin Injectable Medications
• Tailoring diabetes management  for resource-limited settings
• Diabetes and behavioral health: Promoting healthy coping & problem solving
• Symptoms and Treatment of Hypoglycemia
• Sick Day Management
• Avoiding Complications
• Saving Toes, Feet, and Ankles
• Management and diagnosis of pre-diabetes & obesity and non-surgical weight loss (lifestyle and medications)