The Diabetes Treatment Center at Raleigh Community Hospital is benefiting patients with a new piece of equipment - the Glucommander. This technology is a computerized system that resolves hyperglycemia through automated administration of IV insulin. The Glucommander system is accurate and efficient in calculating complex and rapidly changing insulin orders and benefits the patient by a less complicated hospital stay.

In the system, glucose is measured at the patient's bedside, using a standard self-blood glucose monitor. Glucose measurements are taken at intervals from twenty minutes to two hours. The computerized system determines this interval between each measurement, based on the stability of the patient's blood glucose level. An alarm is sounded as a reminder that it is time to check the patients blood glucose. These glucose measurements are then typed into a computer that determines the appropriate insulin rate. The nurse then adjusts the insulin drip rate accordingly.

The Glucommander System benefits patients with the following:

• Diabetes with hyperglycemia
• Cases of emergency hyperglycemia
• Blood glucose control before, during or after surgery
• Labor and delivery
• Insulin resistance or glucose toxicity

This clinical diabetes disease management system improves the use of clinical resources and the calculation of accurate insulin requirements. The physician has a proven method to manage the metabolic needs of the patient without complicated insulin orders, and nurses involved with the patient find that less time is spent calculating insulin regimens and contacting physicians. Patients also benefit from faster resolution of hyperglycemia and better clinical outcomes.

Elizabeth Holt, a member of Raleigh Endocrine Associates, is also the Medical Director of the Diabetes Treatment Center at RCH. "I am excited about the decision to implement the use of American Healthways' Glucommander at Raleigh Community Hospital. This sophisticated technology will allow our physicians and other health care providers to achieve rapid normalizations of glucose levels with minimal difficulty in their patients with diabetes. I see this as an invaluable tool in managing hyperglycemia in the inpatient setting," she said.

For more information about the Glucommander System or the Diabetes Treatment Center at Raleigh Community Hospital, please call (919) 954-3616.

Raleigh Community Hospital is a 205-bed acute-care facility located one block north of the beltline on Wake Forest Road in North Raleigh. Raleigh Community Hospital is part of the Duke University Health System. A full-service acute care hospital, RCH's range of services includes the Diabetes Treatment Center, a 24-hour Emergency Department, Intensive and Critical Care, Child Birth Center, Rehabilitation, Newborn Hearing Screening, Senior Health Center and community education.