Team Care—The Preferred Approach to Diabetes Treatment

Diabetes is a lifestyle disease that requires the person living with the disease to make many daily decisions about diet, activity level, and medications, as well as adequate support to manage the disease successfully. Research has shown that a team-based approach to diabetes care is an effective way to help people with diabetes manage the disease, prevent and treat complications, provide behavior-change strategies, and cope with the emotional challenges this chronic disease brings [1]. Although the team may look different for each patient, it usually represents a variety of disciplines and may include a physician, registered dietitian, diabetes educator, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, podiatrist, dentist, other professionals and resources within the community.