Diabetic Care Plans

As the fee-for-service model comes to an end and earlier releases in the care continuum become more popular, it's becoming increasingly difficult to monitor and manage the care of patients after they exit emergency rooms, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers.

Diabetic patients are no stranger to this issue. Diabetes is the second most popular diagnosis responsible for discharging patients into home care. The American Diabetic Association has put together a comprehensive plan of action and template for managing the care of diabetic patients in the home, the highlights of which we've re-appropriated below.

This table, an excerpt from the American Diabetic Association's findings, shows a list of risks and complications that commonly develop within diabetic patients.

From the same article, this second table shows common conditions that are comorbid with diabetes and how these conditions relate to the diabetic diagnosis, as well as possible ways to mitigate these issues.

As both these tables suggest, the many co-morbid complications that arise in patients with diabetes make it difficult to keep up with each and every diagnosis, as well as staying on top of treating all symptoms

You'll want to read more in the article itself, but here are the main ideas to consider when treating diabetic patients in the home:

• Age-related changes
• Presence of Neuropathies
• Nephropathy and Dialysis
• Visual Deficits and Retinopathy
• Polypharmacy
• Co-morbid Conditions
• Medical Nutrition Therapy and Home Care
• Moving Toward Diabetes Self-Management