What patients living with type 2 diabetes may find surprising is the need to put together a healthcare team to effectively control their condition. Given its progressive nature, type 2 diabetes requires a multifaceted approach—and a broad range of expertise— to mitigate its far-reaching effects.
Your type 2 diabetes journey will likely begin with your primary care doctor, who is responsible for the initial diagnosis and management. Keeping a close partnership with your primary care physician is vital to helping you navigate through your condition. Let’s talk about how you will benefit from teaming up with your primary care doctor in managing your type 2 diabetes.
Better Care Coordination
There are health insurance plans that require each insured person to have a primary care provider, who makes all referrals to other healthcare professionals. Your primary care physician can put together a list of medical practitioners who should be in your healthcare team. This usually includes a dietitian, endocrinologist, podiatrist, cardiologist, and eye doctor.
Your primary care physician will work closely with each of these specialists to ensure the best overall care and help you achieve your long-term goals. For instance, if you have problems with your feet, your primary care physician can work with your podiatrist to monitor your feet for infections. On the same note, your primary care physician can also work with your dietitian to create a meal plan that suits your dietary needs.
Successful Management of Your Blood Sugar Levels
A very important aspect of type 2 diabetes management is keeping your blood glucose levels in check. Among other benefits, reducing your blood sugar levels can improve your blood circulation and reduce your risk of complications, such as heart and kidney diseases and nerve damage.
Your primary care doctor will prescribe medications and teach you how to regularly monitor your blood glucose levels.
Reinforcement of Lifestyle Changes
Research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), published in the Dec 2012 issue of Diabetes Care, has further elucidated the importance of the role of primary care physicians in the successful management of type 2 diabetes. Better health outcomes have been observed among patients who had primary care physicians to facilitate their care than those who didn’t. The success is said to be attributable to primary care physicians’ initiative in providing lifestyle counseling and constant reinforcements.
When necessary, your primary care physician can provide you with intensive behavioral counseling interventions to promote a healthful diet and physical activity. This is aimed at lowering your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other diabetes-related complications.
Support Group Recommendations
Your primary care physician may also recommend support groups to help you better cope with your condition.
Based on research findings presented at the World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease in Universal City, California, people who join support programs are much better at adhering to their medication routines. Getting advice, information, or support from people who are also living with diabetes can help you improve your diet and other behaviors that greatly impact how you manage your condition.
Reliable Primary Care Doctor in Tucson, AZ for Your Diabetes Care
At the office of Dr. Robert E. Lending, M.D., your diabetes success story is our priority. The man behind our practice, Dr. Robert E. Lending himself, has decades of experience in treating chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. He combines his expertise with a caring approach to ensure you are well motivated to get involved in your own care—which is crucial for achieving a successful outcome.
Diabetes is a tough condition to manage, so you need a reliable primary care physician as Dr. Lending to guide you every step of the way. This is why we offer membership-based concierge medical care services, so you can enjoy personalized care from Dr. Lending anytime you need it.
If you are interested in our concierge medicine services or want to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lending, call us today at (520) 795-4291 or use our convenient online form.
