Diabetes educator Celia Chu-Diep has been referred to as the “quarterback” who skillfully helps her patients reach their goal line. This was the case when her patient, Orlando Feliz, recently was reclassified as prediabetic and was able to stop taking insulin.
Orlando’s A1c—the standard for measuring blood sugar management in people with diabetes—dropped from 10.2 percent to 7.2 percent over the course of several months and then even further to 6.3 percent. “It is amazing to see a patient with diabetes improve his/her glycemic control,” Celia says. “The sense of accomplishment transforms them into a new person. This is what I strive for with every patient encounter.”
When Orlando was concerned that he would not be able to pay for insulin until his health insurance kicked in, Celia introduced him to a CVS drug assistance program that provided him with an affordable one-month supply. After his health insurance became available, she recommended that Orlando begin using Livongo®, a free monitoring meter and portal available to eligible patients. He did so well that Celia suggested to his Mount Sinai Queens physician, Luke Janson, MD, that Orlando transition from insulin to oral medication. His diabetes is now controlled with metformin and glipizide.