Perspectives on Diabetes Care
This is the official blog of the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists where we share recent research and professional opinions on diabetes care and education.
Current & Past ADCES Blog Articles
We All Have the Same Goal
Sep 5, 2017, 17:31 PM
Recently a friend of mine said something that left my head spinning. She had been doing clinical work at a hospital and made a career move to industry. Her news was greeted by several people with the reaction of, "Oh, so you are no longer an educator?"
CDE's in industry are not new and we've certainly not left diabetes education behind. If anything, we're striving each day to keep diabetes education at the forefront of the products we build and support: how the patient will use the device, medication or resource and how you, the clinician will interact with it as well. While many of us don't see patients on a regular basis, we're keeping up with DSMES and the problems faced by clinics. We're here to aid and to deliver resources as we have them to share.
CDE's in hospital and clinic + CDE's in industry = a powerhouse of a team.
Let this serve as a PSA for anyone who thought that persons in industry are no longer CDE's: it's time to rethink this outdated notion. We're still here and very dedicated to moving diabetes education ahead, we just do it in different ways. Trust me, you want us in these positions because we not only advocate for your patients, we advocate for you. We fight to make sure you have adequate resources to assist your patients, that your patients get reimbursement from insurance, that there are continued education activities for you to attend, and that your tasks are taken into consideration in the development and deployment of products, resources and medications.
Please remember, we're allies in this together. CDE's in hospital and clinic + CDE's in industry = a powerhouse of a team. We're all treating diabetes and supporting our patients, we all have the same goal.
About the Author:
Molly McElwee-Malloy is the head of patient engagement and director of marketing for TypeZero Technologies, an artificial pancreas company. She also volunteers with the Charlottesville (VA) Free Clinic to help oversee the Diabetes Insulin Titration Telemedicine Program. She's active in the diabetes online community: @MollyMacT1D.