The DCES and Pump Therapy

Helping People Use Insulin Pump Therapy Successfully

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), also known as insulin pump therapy, is in its fifth decade of use and continues to grow in popularity. More recently, there has been an integration of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices onto the pump screen and the creation of the first FDA approved insulin pump that responds to sensor data to adjust basal rates, suspend on low or impending low, and give automatic correction bolus doses when glucose is approaching pre-determined targets.

Automated insulin delivery systems are revolutionizing glucose management.^1,2 The current data indicate there are over one million people with diabetes on insulin pump therapy worldwide³ and 350,000 to 515,000 in the United States.⁴ Insulin pump therapy offers increased lifestyle flexibility and improved glucose management.

Role of the Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

Diabetes care and education specialists play an integral role in helping people with diabetes (PWD) achieve success in the use of insulin pump therapy, which has been demonstrated to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life.

Diabetes care and education specialists:

• Support PWD as they consider, initiate and learn how to use an insulin pump to manage their diabetes.
• Coordinate the plan of care between the prescriber, insulin pump manufacturer and insulin pump trainer during pump initiation and ongoing management.
• Serve as a resource for other health care professionals and community organizations that provide support for those who use insulin pumps.
• Serve as a resource to family members or significant others who support the person with diabetes.
• Complete trainings and gain experience, over and above that of being a certified diabetes care & education specialist (CDCES), to be considered an expert in insulin pump therapy (i.e., CPT).
• Obtain advanced knowledge and training in the use of CSII, carbohydrate counting as it relates to CSII, and the ability to evaluate and interpret data downloads to provide treatment recommendations.
• Obtain certification to provide training in the use of each specific brand and model of insulin pump with which they work. This is obtained through the individual insulin pump manufacturers.

Explore our insulin pump section further to find topics that should be covered by diabetes care and education specialists when teaching people with diabetes and their families or significant others. Insulin pump therapy and the importance of maintaining a high level of expertise in this subspecialty of diabetes education if choosing to include pump and sensor training in the individual specialist’s practice are critical in diabetes management today.

References:

^{American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care. ADCES Insulin Pump Therapy Guidelines, ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines 2022: Insulin Pump Therapy. Endocrine Society. Management of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM). Clinical Research on Insulin Pumps & Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) Systems: Beck RW, Riddlesworth T, et al. Effect of Continuous Glucose Monitoring on Glycemic Control in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes Using Insulin Injections: The DIAMOND Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 2017.}