Diabetes Bites Newsletter: March 2024

March 2024

Meet the “Multidisciplinarians”

Back in 1993 I took my first real job in the diabetes field with the Joslin Diabetes Center that had just opened in Philadelphia. One of the selling points used by the Joslin staff was that I would be part of a “multidisciplinary” team – something unique to the Joslin Centers back then. Not that I had any idea of what multidisciplinary meant… it sounded like I would be punished by a whole crew of people (and not just one individual) if I misbehaved. Then I learned that it referred to a group of healthcare experts with different skill sets all working together for the patients’ benefit. And it really does provide benefits! Not only can patients receive the best possible care, but members of the team can learn from each other and expand their expertise.

Today, I am proud to bring that “multidisciplinary” approach to Integrated Diabetes Services.

Sure, we have clinicians from a variety of disciplines – nurses, dietitians, exercise physiologists, and clinical social workers – but the expertise goes way beyond those standard titles. It might interest you to know that, in addition to being Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (and certified pump/CGM trainers) and living with T1D personally, each of our clinicians offers unique sub-specialties: Jenny Smith (registered dietitian) happens to be an expert in pregnancy & T1D and women’s health through all life stages. Alicia Downs (registered nurse) is highly proficient with elder care, mental health, LBGTQ+ issues and non-traditional forms of diabetes. She is also highly skilled at navigating health insurance and finding the best community resources. Tavia Vital (registered nurse), in addition to serving women during pregnancy, provides amazing care and insight for parents of young children with diabetes. Tavia is also bilingual and heads up our Spanish services. Kathryn Alvarez (exercise physiologist) is our resident expert when it comes to open-source (DIY) technology. She also spearheads our adolescent care services. Dana Roseman (registered dietitian) is an expert at all things technology-related as well as training for endurance events. She also works with our adolescent/young-adult clients who are transitioning to greater independence. Anna Sabino (social worker) brings experience and insight regarding youth programs, family dynamics and motivation. Dr. Paula Diab (physician) offers up specialized services for people with type-2 diabetes as well as those with general weight-loss needs. Kristi Paguio (social worker) might surprise you with her vast knowledge about managing diabetes with outdoor activities. Her expertise includes disordered eating and its impact on diabetes. As for me, I’m an exercise physiologist by trade, but my Joslin experience taught me that you have to be good at a lot of different things in order to be successful.  The jury is still out as to what I’m really good at, but people tell me I’m pretty good at putting things into terms they can easily understand. They say I’ve given them inspiration and helped them with things like carb counting, reducing post-meal spikes, and making better use of technology. So there you have it.  I guess you can say that IDS is home of the world’s foremost multi-multi-multidisciplinary team. IF THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIFIC YOU’D LIKE HELP WITH, odds are we have someone here who is a true expert in that field.  Please give us a call, 877-735-3648 (+1-610-642-6055 outside North America) if there’s something you would like to work on. As always, I hope you find this month’s edition of Diabetes Bites informative and a little entertaining.  Your feedback and suggestions are always appreciated.  Feel free to email me directly at gary@integrateddiabetes.com. Whether you care for someone with diabetes or live with it yourself, keep up the great work! Gary Scheiner MS, CDCES Owner, Clinical Director