The role of the primary care physician in caring for patients with type-1 diabetes.

The management of type-1 diabetic patients is a challenge. Given the natural frequency of this medical problem, most primary care providers will have such patients in their office-based practice. The push for tighter control in order to lessen long-term complications is a sensible move, but it does not inherently require that you absent yourself from the loop. Most of the hoopla from the DCCT study has been used to justify the role of the endocrine sub-specialty team in the "primary care" management of all diabetic patients so that third-party payers will continue to fund such care as routine. While such team management has clear benefits, it should not preclude your active involvement in day-to-day management for fear that you do not have the proper credentials. Hopefully, this overview will give you the confidence to jump back in the ring.