title: [A diabetes care team--role of diabetes specialists and certified diabetes educator].
abstract: In recent decades, diabetes care has undergone fundamental changes that have influenced the manner in which any type of diabetic patients are managed: (i) acceptance of tight metabolic control; (ii) recognition of primary care management; (iii) focus on quality improvement: and (iv) emphasis on cost containment. Then, the role of a diabetes care team has been recognized and acted upon to a far greater extent than before. Treatment of diabetes consists of two principal components: metabolic control and intervention to prevent complications. The former is a part of the primary health care scheme in which the indication for education, as well as care and treatment, frequently depend of the data produced by patients; the latter pertaining to hospital-based care. In 2001 in Japan, the number of the diabetes specialists is about 2500, and the certified diabetes educators certified are about 4300. However, the accessibility of the patients to the specialists still remains poor. Nurses, dietitians, medical technologists, pharmacists and physical therapists are eligible to take the examination of certified diabetes educator. They must be skilled at identifying the background of patients to improve care and health through life-style modification. Education for care and treatment consists of medical and educational models. In both of these, here are specific processes of diagnosis and therapy: along with medical diagnosis and treatment, through physical and laboratory examinations, assessment of the patient for indication of a curriculum by test of knowledge, skill and attitude for adequate educational therapy is necessary.
authors.affiliation: The Saiseikai Diabetes Center for Clinical Research, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004501:Education, Medical; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008511:Medicine / Q000592:standards; D017145:Models, Educational; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013038:Specialization