August 2023 
Gary Scheiner MS, CDCES
Owner, Clinical Director
Informed Decisions Rule
Just for kicks, I decided to count up the number of different insulin pumps I’ve worn over the past 30+ years. Between all the various models of MiniMed, Disetronic, Animas, Deltec, Medtronic, Roche, Tandem, Insulet, and a handful of developmental devices from companies in Israel, the grand total came to 38. (come to think of it, that might make a good trivia question in next month’s newsletter) Next week, I plan to give the Medtronic 780G a try, and with a little luck and begging, I’ll have a Beta-Bionics iLet to try out before too long.
I’m not alone in this regard. Every clinician at Integrated Diabetes Services tries out everything that comes to market. Why do we do it? Simple. We do it for YOU. Who really has the time and resources to test out every pump and meter and CGM and connected pen and infusion set and hybrid closed loop system before making a decision about which ones to use? Diabetes devices aren’t like cars. You can’t just take everything for a a test drive. And there is no “consumer reports” that provides detailed, useful and unbiased product comparisons the way we do. That’s just one of the many advantages of working with a practice like ours. Do your healthcare providers offer in-depth insight so that you can choose the devices that will best meet your needs? Or do they expect you to just go with whatever they are most familiar with, or figure it out on your own? As people living with diabetes 24/7, we deserve choices. And we believe you deserve the opportunity to make WELL-INFORMED choices. If you’re thinking about trying a device/technology for the first time, or if you’re in a position to order something new, talk to us first. Given the length of time we often have to commit to these devices, and the way our glucose management and quality of life can be affected, it pays to be well-informed. Speaking of staying informed, I hope you enjoy this month’s edition of Diabetes Bites. As always, your feedback and suggestions are always appreciated. Email me (gary@integrateddiabetes.com) any time you like. Stay well, Gary Scheiner MS, CDCES
Owner, Clinical Director
