JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

The incidence of diabetes is outpacing the availability of primary care clinicians and endocrinologists. Individuals with diabetes see many health care professionals throughout their journey but one clinician is primarily responsible for routine management. Responsibility for diabetes care must be shared between clinicians, allied health professionals, and persons with diabetes to ensure effective treatment and reduce the burden of disease. Innovative collaborative care models, systems to improve continuity of care (e.g., care reminders), and integration of technology like continuous glucose monitoring into personalized treatment plans have the potential to increase patient engagement, and improve holistic and effective diabetes care. For innovative care models to succeed, barriers for both patients and clinicians need to be addressed to reduce therapeutic inertia, including appropriate training and education.