Teaching diabetes self-management skills: a high-technology approach

There is, indeed, an explosion of knowledge in the field of diabetes self-management. Special care must be taken in evaluating specific devices before recommending any of them to a patient. In doing so, it is important to consider Owen Edwards' reflections in Elegant Solutions: "Aside from nature's creations, there are no perfect solutions. Everything humanity concocts comes with some cost attached. Solutions that seem flawless at first may have repercussions no one ever anticipated". A multidisciplinary approach is needed to create a diabetes management program to meet the unique needs of each patient. Ongoing education of the patient is essential to assure the best level of diabetes care available.