A Good Organization Gone Bad

I feel very sad as I write this. I dislike what is happening to the diabetes newsletter by “experts” at the Mayo Clinic. Apparently, funds are becoming shorter and many articles are being repeated on a regular basis. The real problem is the refusal of the staff posting the article to answer questions. Some of the questions are from people crying for help, and these most often are not answered.

Since our health with diabetes and even prediabetes is important, the Mayo Clinic turning their backs on these people is inexcusable and showing lack of respect for people needing help.

I am wondering if there are problems among the Mayo Clinic employees that are causing many of the problems. I am also concerned that what was a great newsletter may become a relic and no longer of any value to people new to diabetes and a nuisance for people that have had diabetes for several years. I have had thoughts about unsubscribing to the newsletter, but with the latest antics, felt that someone needs to be aware of what is happening and inform others about the weaknesses of the Mayo Clinic and their treatment of people with diabetes.

If you doubt the last sentence, one of our support group members did receive and keep an appointment with the diabetes department. He felt that the doctors for diabetes had no interest is helping him and showed it by writing prescriptions for three oral medications and increasing his dosage for the statin and blood pressure medication. When he asked why they were taking him off insulin, the answer was that this was what the ADA recommended. He stated he had been on insulin for five years and saw no reason to return to oral medications when insulin worked so well for keeping his blood glucose under control. Again, he was given the answer that the ADA recommended this.

He said if he was new to diabetes, he could agree, but having diabetes for almost 9 years and A1c's over 10 percent on oral medications, he could not understand why they would be so careless with his health. At that point, he said that doctor handed him the prescriptions and left the exam room.

Another problem I have with the diabetes newsletter is some of the questions that are argumentative more that true questions. Yet given the chance, why is the author or someone at the Mayo Clinic not presenting facts to answer the questions. Maybe they don't know the answers or worst yet, don't want people to know the correct information.