This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
A patient in a weight-control clinic recently told me, “I know what I need to do and I have good support, but it’s tough to start.” I was struck by his comment. He expressed the frustration that is shared by both patients and health care providers alike. His words reminded me that motivation is the very crucial, but also very difficult, first step to change and seeing improved results. Whether it’s a goal HbA1c or a 5% weight loss that will qualify someone for bariatric surgery, the spark to take action must be there before anything else occurs.
I’ve always been fascinated by how people consistently get themselves to do what they need to move toward a goal — whether it’s improving their health or any other endeavor. What separates those who succeed from those who don’t? I believe that we as clinicians should help our patients find the resources and tools that are right for them to effect change and produce sustained results.
|
|
Taking Control of Your Diabetes (tcoyd.org) is a prime example that springs to mind. This unique non-profit organization was founded in 1995 by Steven Edelman, MD, an endocrinologist at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center, and Endocrine Today editorial board member. He says he founded the organization, “because I was frustrated with the traditional medical professional education model. It’s important, but, alarmingly, has not been translated into meaningful improvement in diabetes care. That is because the patients living with diabetes have not been included in the educational process. There is a serious lack of two-way communication between patients and providers and a misunderstanding by the majority of providers about what it is like to live with diabetes on a day-to-day basis.”
More than 100,000 individuals have attended the annual conferences for patients and their families in cities from Honolulu to Raleigh, N.C. Approximately 1,200 folks hear general sessions and workshops on the latest findings in clinical research, new medications, exercise, diet, insurance and legal issues; they interact with physicians, dieticians, podiatrists and physician assistants. A health fair features scores of booths for information on medications, local programs and supplies. A seated lunch features a keynote speaker who is an exemplary model of living well with diabetes and offers personal insights into how he or she created a turnaround. Edelman noted that the registration fee is less than 20% of the cost for each attendee and financial aid for registration is offered upon request.
These conferences also include CME talks that are aimed at not only updating physicians on leading-edge strategies in managing diabetes, but also involve creating what Edelman calls an effort to “close the delicate loop between the caregiver and the person living with diabetes.” Called Making the Connection, doctors and patients are placed in the same conference in an effort to help dispel misconceptions held by patients about the medical profession and to help provide caregivers with a greater sense of empathy about what it is like for patients to be living with the stresses and challenges often caused by diabetes. The patients’ responses were telling: “I learned more in one day than in 10 years of living with diabetes” and “this conference keeps me updated with the latest information, makes me motivated and gives me hope.”
Another web resource is mindovermellitus.com, a blog that according to its website, “aims to enhance life with diabetes. It goes past the mechanics and physiology to help us match what we do with what we know.” There is an emphasis on personal motivation, humor and self-discipline. For more about the creator, Andrew Young, who has type 1 diabetes, check out his website and an interview with him on diabetesmine.com.
Another online resource is diaTribe (diatribe.us), a free e-newsletter for individuals with diabetes created by Kelly Close, the founder of Close Concerns. This organization reports from diabetes conferences worldwide and distills the latest studies from these meetings. Other features include Logbook, a column on the human side of diabetes and Test Drive, billed as “our personal, no-holds-barred experience with new drugs and devices.” Close does note that, “unlike other newsletters, diaTribe is not just straight reporting and it is not for everyone. As the name suggests, we have an opinion. We might rant, we might rave, we might lament or celebrate, but we will always inform and enlighten. We hope to reach that tribe of readers who are smart about diabetes, who believe in intensive management, and who are eager to learn more for themselves, perhaps or a loved one.”
I hope this brief overview helps you and your patients as you continue mutually to strive to become better informed, and, thus, enhance the quality of life of our patients, as well as our own.
Edward C. Chao, DO, is a Fellow at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and is a member of the Endocrine Today Fellows Advisory Board.