In the past decade, advancements in technology have revolutionized the way diabetes is managed. With all this progress comes a significant issue burnout for patients and clinicians.  The daily grind of monitoring blood glucose levels, adjusting medications, and managing complications can be exhausting.

For individuals with diabetes, every day requires vigilance. From meal planning and blood glucose monitoring to exercise and medication adherence, it can feel like there’s no escape from the demands of the condition. On top of that, diabetes is often associated with mental health challenges such as anxiety, stress, and depression, particularly in dealing with the long-term nature of the disease and the fear of complications.

Healthcare professionals face a daunting workload when it comes to diabetes. With millions of patients requiring monitoring and treatment adjustments, the healthcare system is stretched thin. Many clinics are already overburdened, and as diabetes rates continue to climb, the situation will only become more strained.

Although there is no quick fix, several strategies are emerging to help ease this burden.

First, there’s an increasing emphasis on empowering patients to take a more active role. Diabetes self-management education programs have shown promise, helping patients learn skills to navigate their condition with greater independence. Despite strong evidence supporting their effectiveness, these programs are vastly underutilized: only 10% to 20% of people with diabetes ever receive this kind of support.

Second, healthcare systems are beginning to experiment with team-based care models in which care is shared among a broader range of healthcare professionals, including nurse practitioners, dietitians, and diabetes educators. By delegating certain aspects of care, these models help spread the workload and allow physicians to focus on more complex cases.

Third, leveraging AI and machine learning to sift through patient data and provide actionable insights is another key strategy to reduce the burden on clinicians. This technology has the potential to highlight the most critical issues, prioritize patients who need immediate attention, and reduce the mental load on overworked healthcare teams. However, these tools require careful integration into clinical work- flows to ensure that they alleviate rather than add to the pressure on clinicians.