Diabetes Team optimises patient experience

With the motto ‘Together, we are stronger than diabetes', the Diabetes Team at Maria Middelares General Hospital strives to maximise diabetes patients’ quality of life through the very latest techniques and treatment methods.

Led by a committed team of physician endocrinologists, our Diabetes Team is starting to use the new Mini-Med 780 G system. This system consists of an insulin pump and a glucose sensor. The glucose sensor automatically measures the diabetes patient's glucose values. The sensor sends a signal to the insulin pump, which automatically administers the insulin based on an algorithm. The insulin pump automatically adjusts the insulin dose according to the patient's needs every five minutes, and corrects both high and low values. However, for the system to work optimally,
finger prick measurements are still necessary.

This new approach reduces many risks for the type 1 diabetic. On the one hand, this insulin pump will detect and help prevent low glucose levels (hypoglycaemia). This reduces the risk of concentration disorders, fainting and loss of consciousness. On the other hand, the pump also corrects glucose levels that are too high (hyperglycemia), which can cause long-term complications.

Innovative pilot projects

The Diabetes Team at Maria Middelares General Hospital continuously focuses on innovation. And that has not escaped the attention of the medical business sector. Our team has been selected to participate in several pilot projects.

• The FreeStyle Libre 2 is an intermittent scanning system with high accuracy, alarms on demand and no finger-prick calibrations. This real-time glucose monitoring sensor method can be tested by some of our diabetes patients, even before it appears on the Belgian market.
• The glucose sensor is an alternative for diabetes patients who need to be alerted to high or low glucose levels, but who cannot take multiple finger pricks every day.
• The Diabetes Team emphasises that, in cases of hypoglycaemia and highly fluctuating values, the finger prick is still recommended as a control measure.
• At the end of this year, the Diabetes Team at Maria Middelares General Hospital will also begin using a patch pump. A patch pump sticks directly to the patient's skin, eliminating the need for a separate infusion set with tubing. The pump is more compact and discrete than traditional insulin pumps.

Focus on education

To properly implement these technological innovations, expert guidance from physicians and educators in the Diabetes Team is crucial, with an emphasis on the importance of proper education, commitment and motivation of the patient.

Contact

You can contact the secretariat of the Endocrinology Department and our Diabetes Team during office hours (8am to 6pm):