Roles of Health Professionals on a Diabetes Care Team
Your primary care doctor (usually an internist or a family medicine doctor) is responsible for the day-to-day medical management of your diabetes. He or she also may coordinate your diabetes care. Or a nurse practitioner, nurse educator, or physician assistant may coordinate your care.
Your health professional will help you find the right oral medicine and possibly insulin to regulate your blood sugar (glucose) level. He or she also will help you adjust medicines as your diabetes changes. For this reason, it is very important that you notify your health professional if your symptoms change.
Important It is possible that the main title of the report Hypoglycemia is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
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Most primary care doctors are excellent at managing diabetes. But if your symptoms get worse or if you have complications, you may need to see a specialist-a doctor who has additional training in a particular field. You should see some specialists, such as an ophthalmologist and podiatrist, regularly. These specialists provide care to prevent eye and foot complications from diabetes.
Other specialists, such as cardiologists (heart specialists), nephrologists (kidney specialists), or orthopedic surgeons (bone, muscle, and joint specialists), are seen only when a specific complication arises. For some people who have diabetes, it is important to see these specialists at least once a year so they can monitor the complication.
Team member | Specialty | Role | How often seen |
|---|---|---|---|
Treats complex cases of diabetes with difficult-to-control blood glucose levels | Sometimes regular visits, or as treatment problems arise, such as you cannot stay within a target range and hemoglobin A1c levels are higher than desired | ||
| Kidney | Treats complications related to kidney failure | As kidney problems develop | |
| Eye | Monitors your eyes for diabetes complications and treats any vision problems | Regularly, at least once a year | |
| Heart | Treats complications related to the heart and circulatory system | As complications arise | |
| Brain | Treats brain and nerve disorders, such as strokes and diabetic neuropathy | As complications arise | |
| Foot | Helps you monitor your feet and treats any complications, such as foot ulcers | As needed for foot problems. Have your primary care doctor examine your feet once a year. |
Other health professionals on a diabetes care team
Other health professionals who may be involved in your diabetes care include:
- Mental health professional. Many people with chronic diseases suffer from depression. A psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker can help you deal with the mental challenges associated with living with diabetes. Also, one of these specialists can help you learn to manage stress, which can affect your glucose control.
- Exercise physiologist. Physical activity is an important part of your treatment for diabetes, so you may want to work with an exercise physiologist to develop an appropriate exercise program for your fitness level. Exercise physiologists have experience working with people who have varying levels of strength and aerobic capacity. An exercise physiologist can help you devise strategies for staying with your exercise plan.
- Registered dietitian. Your diet plays a key role in keeping your blood sugar levels within a target range. A registered dietitian has training in nutrition and experience making meal plans and helping people make changes in their lifestyle. Changing your eating habits may be the hardest thing for you to do to care for your diabetes. A registered dietitian can help you take small steps toward the overall goal of a balanced diet.
- Nurse educator. A nurse educator helps you understand your diabetes and its treatment. Having diabetes is a lifelong challenge. And as your disease changes and progresses, your nurse educator can provide the information you need to adjust and change with it. He or she may also coordinate your diabetes care.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
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