The Diabetes Digester

Here I am at the American Diabetes Association’s annual Scientific Sessions for the umpteenth time, staring at screens filled with complicated chemical reactions and multiple sets of research data.  Each 2-hour symposium features 3-4 speakers (often speaking very quickly or with a difficult-to-decipher accent) covering various angles of the main topic.  I do my best to capture the key points of each presentation to share with my colleagues at Integrated Diabetes Services so that we can formulate a plan for applying it to daily patient care and disseminate it to our loyal followers.

The main credential after my name reads:  Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES).  But what I really am is a digester of diabetes information.  I take high-level material, evaluate it, and then break it down into a form that can be understood and used by our patients.  Not just me – each of our clinicians participates in professional conferences and continuing education activities on a regular basis.  Collectively, we evaluate research studies and product claims to ensure the information is trustworthy and meaningful.

One of the things that separates us from other providers of diabetes care is our ability to translate highly technical material.  It isn’t enough to comprehend the information.  We must also communicate it in an understandable, relatable manner.  If you think that’s easy, think back to some of the challenging math or science classes you took in school.  How many of your teachers made the material truly easy to understand and apply?  There may have been one or two, but chances are, they were the exception rather than the rule.

Your IDS clinicians are proud to digest more than just our “food challenge” meals.  We consider it our responsibility and our honor to get you the information you need, in a way that makes it easy to use.  Check the Thinking Like A Pancreas blog in the coming weeks/months for my summary reports from this summer’s diabetes conferences.  And if there is anything you want to know more about, please ask.

As always, I hope you enjoy this month’s edition of Diabetes Bites.  Your feedback is always welcome and appreciated.

Sincerely,

– Gary

Gary Scheiner MS, CDE
Owner & Clinical Director

Nancy’s Featured Finds!

This month I’d like to spotlight our own Gary Scheiner’s 3rd edition of Think Like A Pancreas! The new edition features everything that made the first two editions “essential reading” for everyone who takes insulin.

And since Spring is here and we are all venturing outside for walks – why not track how many steps you are taking? We have easy-to-read pedometers in our secure online store!

Best,
Nancy