Blog

COVID-19 is a serious threat to anyone with chronic health issues like diabetes. We all know by now that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is a serious public health threat. We also know that older individuals and any individuals with serious chronic health issues like diabetes are at higher risk for complications, should they contract the virus. According to WHO, in China people...

The role of the nurse in caring for patients with diabetes has evolved over our history. As understanding of the impact of diabetes in the inpatient setting gained momentum, nurses have moved from managing comorbidities, such as diabetes, as a secondary priority to caring for diabetes alongside and equal to the patients’ primary diagnoses. Leading and executing evidence-based nursing, which...

I will never forget rounding in a busy ICU just before lunchtime, standing within earshot of a patient with type 2 diabetes ordering her lunch: a cheeseburger, fully loaded, with a side of french fries and chocolate ice cream for dessert. I cracked a smile as my stomach growled and my mouth watered; it sounded delicious. The patient’s tray arrived...

DiaTribe Editor, Adam Brown, wrote in a recent article, “We’ve known for a long time that diabetes care in hospitals is often bad, but until you experience it personally – and you have to go to the ER and have an emergency surgery and stay there for five days – you don’t truly understand how unprepared hospitals are.” For hospitals,...

The Monarch team attended the American Diabetes Association 78th  Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida at the end of June. The annual conference highlighted new ideas and significant advances in diabetes research, treatment, and care. While multiple sessions were covered and new studies were released, two major themes emerged at this year’s event— action to address diabetes care is now needed more...

Whether in the cardiac care unit or in a general hospital medicine unit, helping patients to reach glucose control is a necessary component to delivering quality care.  To advance glycemic management practices, and ultimately improve patient outcomes, hospitals must have a comprehensive inpatient glycemic control program, and for it to be successful, it must include these eight essential elements: Support...

When it comes to glycemic management in the hospital setting, hyperglycemia is present in every unit. In order to standardize care, it requires a cross functional team with multiple clinicians, staff members, and departments all working together. With March being National Nutrition Month, we are focusing on one of the most important areas of collaboration, nutrition. Understanding and monitoring a...

“It’s only when you drop yesterday’s assumptions that you can glimpse tomorrow’s patterns and possibility. To see deeper, unsee first.” – Umair Haq Clinical inertia is a term that has been used to define the resistance to a new therapeutic treatment. Across healthcare, we see clinical inertia often, but perhaps the best example is the treatment of hyperglycemia. The way we...

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on.” – Hal Borland This past year proved to be an exciting time in the advancement of diabetes care. New technology and new research are on the forefront of improving aspects of living with and even preventing diabetes. Take for instance the development of the artificial pancreas, the...

Imagine if a patient’s blood glucose was still determined through urine strip testing. Although it was once seen as a best practice, it would now be laughable and likely thought of as downright poor patient care. As medicine evolves, the best practices and guidelines must continuously be reviewed and updated to account for the current evidence-based and state-of-the-art knowledge. In...

National Diabetes Month is a recognition that began 35 years ago, but perhaps is needed now more than ever before. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30.3 million people have diabetes in the U.S. That amounts to roughly one in 10 Americans, and it’s only growing in prevalence. It is estimated that by 2050, this figure...

During National Diabetes Month, the week of November 5-11 provides an opportunity to recognize a special group of healthcare professionals, diabetes educators.  This week, also known as National Diabetes Education Week, is meant to be a time to celebrate all that diabetes educators do to help those affected by diabetes. At Monarch, we’ve had the opportunity to work with many...

In a new DiabetesMine blog post, “Convincing Hospitals That Glucose Management Matters,” author Dan Fleshler questions why some hospitals are still using “old-fashioned, time-consuming, error-prone approach to regulating blood glucose.” The blog, which features Monarch Medical Technologies, addresses one of the biggest challenges in the industry, convincing hospital administration and providers that glucose management needs to become a priority. The...

 On October 19th, Monarch Medical Technologies hosted its first annual EndoTool User Group Meeting in Charlotte, NC. Joined by clients across the country, the group explored ways to better utilize EndoTool IV and SubQ across their systems. While many left with pages of notes on how to improve their processes and education at their organizations, one overarching theme can...

In last week’s blog, we explained the importance of patient self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients with diabetes. This week, we want to go over the A1C test, goals and recommendations, and the limitations of A1C testing. What is it? According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the A1C...