title: Helping diabetic patients learn.
abstract: Family physicians can be highly effective in helping diabetic patients learn about their disease. Educational principles should be followed. It is essential to motivate the patient, the family doctor, the nurse and the receptionist to be knowledgeable and responsible about diabetes. Individualized, Socratic probing to find out what has been learned and to provide feedback should characterize the educational dialogue. Learning resources, particularly pamphlets and books, should be provided for patients to meet individual educational needs. Every family practice should have an effective appointment and follow up system. Newer knowledge about nutrition and home blood sugar monitoring makes education of diabetic patients even more worth while.
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Spaulding