Prioritizing Patient Experiences in the Management of Diabetes and Its Complications: An Endocrine Society Position Statement.

Diabetes can be an arduous journey both for people with diabetes (PWD) and their caregivers. While the journey of every person with diabetes is unique, common themes emerge in managing this disease. To date, the experiences of PWD have not been fully considered to successfully implement the recommended standards of diabetes care in practice. It is critical for health-care providers (HCPs) to recognize perspectives of PWD to achieve optimal health outcomes. Further, existing tools are available to facilitate patient-centered care but are often underused. This statement summarizes findings from multistakeholder expert roundtable discussions hosted by the Endocrine Society that aimed to identify existing gaps in the management of diabetes and its complications and to identify tools needed to empower HCPs and PWD to address their many challenges. The roundtables included delegates from professional societies, governmental organizations, patient advocacy organizations, and social enterprises committed to making life better for PWD. Each section begins with a clinical scenario that serves as a framework to achieve desired health outcomes and includes a discussion of resources for HCPs to deliver patient-centered care in clinical practice. As diabetes management evolves, achieving this goal will also require the development of new tools to help guide HCPs in supporting PWD, as well as concrete strategies for the efficient uptake of these tools in clinical practice to minimize provider burden. Importantly, coordination among various stakeholders including PWD, HCPs, caregivers, policymakers, and payers is critical at all stages of the patient journey.

Analysis of comparison of patient preference for two insulin injection pen devices in relation to patient dexterity skills.

Insulin therapy is the cornerstone of medical treatment for many patients with diabetes. Self-administration of this life-saving medication is no longer limited to the traditional vial and syringe. Instead, more and more patients worldwide are using prefilled insulin pen devices. Ease of use, convenience, confidence in dosing accuracy, and improved quality of life are just a few of their advantages. As with any medical technology, safe and proper use is vital. Many studies have examined pen device preference and usability. Until now, no study has included patients with both visual and dexterity impairments. To ensure safe and simple self-administration of insulin for all patients, it is time for the special needs of patients with diabetes to be considered not only during product development, but during postmarketing studies as well.