Patients with type 1 diabetes or insulin-requiring patients with type 2 diabetes now have easier, faster access to the support they need to manage this chronic disease. UVA Endocrinology Pantops is now offering advanced diabetes management services. This effort is an extension of UVA’s ongoing work to better control diabetes through advanced technology, therapeutics and remote monitoring, as well as cloud-based, risk-analytics that will be used in the future to help mitigate risks for both low and high blood sugars in these patients.
Staffed by a team of five endocrinologists, a nurse practitioner, a diabetes educator and support staff, the clinic is among just a handful of similar clinics in the U.S. The specialized team will focus on identifying the right technology and educating patients on strategies to optimize available therapies. In addition, staff will advocate for patients in their efforts to obtain the devices they need when they need them most.
Nurse practitioner Mary Voelmle, FNP, will work closely with insurance providers to streamline the approval process for patients to receive diabetes management devices such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, with the goal of shortening the approval timeline from weeks or months to several days.
“We’ll fit patients with the right technology and work with their insurer to get all necessary devices or supplies approved expeditiously,” says Ananda Basu, MD, a UVA endocrinologist and the clinic director.
The clinic now serves adult patients only with a referral, however Basu says they are considering expanding services to adolescents in the near future. The clinic is open Mondays, Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons, with additional days set aside for classes to educate patients on how to effectively use these diabetes management devices.
To learn more, call 434.293.7811.