(L-R) Gemma Woodruff, Pharmacist, Margaret Whillier, Diabetes Educator and Heike Krausse, Diabetes Educator

A multidisciplinary team of staff have started Australia’s first dedicated clinic in optimising preoperative patients with diabetes.

RBWH Pharmacist Abie Yu is the brains behind the clinic, who says the idea came to her after finding increasing numbers of patients with diabetes presenting for their surgery, only for the treating team to realise it was too late for them to get their diabetes under control.

There are a number of risks associated with patients with diabetes going into surgery with high blood glucose levels, including an increased risk of infection and increased length of stay, resulting in poorer outcomes and overall quality of life. More than 25 per cent of RBWH inpatients have diabetes.

Patients who are referred to the clinic are reviewed by a pharmacist, diabetes educator and endocrinologist prior to their operation. The team also liaises with community care providers for patients where appropriate.

Diabetes Educator Nurse Margaret Whillier said they have received more than 40 referrals since they opened the clinic five weeks ago (this will need to be updated closer to the time of publishing).

“The large number of initial referrals shows the need for this service at RBWH,” she said.

“While there are many diabetes clinics at hospitals across Australia, this is the first one to be funded by surgery, for surgical patients.

“The clinic is also proving to be a great opportunity to talk with patients who don’t have a health professional looking after their diabetes and make a positive impact.

“We’re connecting with patients in rural areas via telehealth, which is really important as people in rural areas with Type 2 Diabetes are typically two years behind people in metro areas with their diabetes treatment.”

The clinic is currently open two days a week on Tuesday and Thursday. If you have a patient who would benefit from attending the clinic, please refer them via RBWH_Preop_Diabetes_Optimisation_Clinic@health.qld.gov.au