WHEN TO REFER PEOPLE WITH DIABETES TO A DIABETOLOGIST FROM A FAMILY MEDICINE SETTING
Keywords:
Diabetologist, Diabetes, Family Medicine Physicians (FMPs), Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), General Practitioners (GPs)Abstract
The term diabetologist is being widely used in many countries, today. Although there is an increasing diabetes population for both type 1 and type 2, yet number of endocrinologists are way behind the necessity. In the outpatient settings of Family Medicine Physicians (FMPs) / Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) / General Practitioners (GPs), more people with diabetes (PWD) are being seen than in either secondary or tertiary healthcare fascilities. Diabetologist as a term mostly used for those physicians who are more eager to see PWD, thus mostly provide diabetes clinic rather than other internal medicine or endocrinology disorders. Although many FMPs like to do so, than both prescription and post-graduate education barrier arise. According to recent diabetes guidelines, newer molecules such as Glucagone Like Peptide -1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and Sodium GLucose co-Transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) are in the front line which are not allowed to prescribe in the FMP care settings. Contribution of FMPs into diabetes care field should not be underestimated, so updated diabetes education programs should be organized during certain intervals. When to refer PWD to a diabetologist, at least from a FMP setting is so crucial that in case of a need of multi-disciplinary approach the best care would be provided.
Author Biography
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Mehmet Akif Buyukbese, Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University, School of Medicine, Gaziantep
MD, Consultant Diabetologist, Prof of Internal Medicine.
Although credentials are from Istanbul University, Türkiye; has USMLE certificate from USA where he was offered endocrinology fellowship at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
Had clinical observership at Indian Medical Center in AZ, MD Anderson & Univ of TX at Houston and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NY Diabetes & Endocrinology Programs. Worked at Kronos Longevity Research Institute in Phx, AZ in USA and Univ of Leicester in UK.
Gave Diabetes lectures through EU Erasmus Programs at Goettingen Univ, Germany.
Awarded Diabetes service prize several times from Turkish Diabetes Foundation for GAPDIAB (Southeast Türkiye Rural Community Diabetes Education) Project.
Served as Kahramanmaras City Coordinator of Presidency of Türkiye Type 1 Diabetes Peer Project.
Board Member of Trustees of Turkish Diabetes Foundation.
Currently active member of study group of Diabetes & Ramadan (DaR) Alliance.
Worked actively in recent and previous published DaR guidelines booklets.
Also members of IDF & European Society of Cardiology.
In the past, involved in Turkish Society of Cardiology Marmara Region Adult Patients Prospective Cardiac Risk Factors Study (TEKHARF).
Formerly founded internal Medicine department in the faculty in Türkiye where he served as department of internal medicine head for 6 years.
Currently has more than 200 publications in both national & international journals & 5 books (3 of them as chapter writer, the rest 2 as co-editors, all on diabetes).
