23 december 2022 – 12:47
“It is important that we see the patient as a whole, with all his conditions.”
At the beginning of this year, Ciro, a specialist knowledge and treatment center for people with complex chronic lung or heart failure, started a special diabetes team. People with chronic lung diseases often have comorbidities. For example, diabetes occurs above average in this patient group. In order to treat these patients optimally, Ciro has set up the diabetes outpatient clinic. Internist Nicole van Loon and Maud Verberne, diabetes nurse, have now guided more than 40 patients. And the results don’t lie.
Nicole van Loon explains: “There are also major differences within the group of people with lung disease and diabetes. Both when it comes to the severity of the disease and the use of medication, as well as knowledge about the disease. We see patients who are very well prepared and know exactly what to do when. But there are also people for whom this does not apply. In the meantime, we have made gains with our approach for many patients: for some, the medication has been halved or even stopped and complaints such as headaches, excessive sweating or many hypos could be partially resolved. In addition, thanks to more knowledge and customized advice, people stay much better within their glucose ‘target range’: the ideal value for the person in question.”
Measure and know
Maud Verberne recently completed the higher vocational training in diabetes nursing and will soon start further training in diabetes care. She is enthusiastic: “Then I can also prescribe medication myself. That’s so handy. But we can often achieve a lot with lifestyle advice. More exercise and different food choices really help, especially with type 2 diabetes. It is important that the patient knows what influence food and exercise have on the glucose level. Then you also know what to watch out for and what to do. For example, whether or not you should eat something before exercising, for example”. Measuring is important here. Nicole: “We have started to put more emphasis on full 4-point day curves. That gives a better picture. And for patients with intensive insulin therapy with a sensor, we can monitor the patient and his glucose values online. For patients who do not have a sensor and are struggling with disrupted glucose values, we have two sensors in-house as standard. This allows us to continuously monitor the glucose level for two weeks.”
Complete diabetes care
With the new approach, Ciro patients receive full-fledged diabetes care, fitting within the transdisciplinary specialist treatment. Complete with, among other things, assessment of the kidneys and feet and attention to weight, nutrition, medication use and possibly. additional complaints. Maud: “I also work one day a week at the diabetes clinic in Laurentius. Very nice and also nice to exchange knowledge and experiences. Because diabetes is a complex disease with a major impact.”
The future
In the long term, the diabetes team wants to expand its work further. Nicole: “We want more attention for our patients in the pre-diabetes phase. We already see and speak to them, but we would like to go a step further in the treatment. We also want to expand the consultations with cardiovascular risk management. Everything with the aim of doing better for and with the patient. Because of course it depends very much on someone’s situation and personal goals, which approach is most helpful. We have to look at the patient as a whole: with all his disorders, wishes and circumstances.”
Bron: Ciro
Editorial Medicalfacts/ Janine Budding
I studied physiotherapy and Health Care business administration. I am also a registered independent client support worker and informal care broker. I have a lot of experience in various positions in healthcare, the social domain and the medical, pharmaceutical industry, nationally and internationally. And have broad medical knowledge of most healthcare specialties. And of the care laws from which the care is regulated and financed. Every year I attend most of the leading medical conferences in Europe and America to keep my knowledge up-to-date and to keep up with the latest developments and innovations. Currently I am doing a Masters in Applied Psychology.
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