Surgery pre-op checklist for people with diabetes

4) And how about a hideously simple question: who will monitor BG levels in the OR? I think it's entirely inappropriate for a blood specimen to be sent to the hospital laboratory for a "STAT BG" when meters are everywhere -- BG meters should definitely be in the OR, and someone should be trained in their use; and the appropriate control solutions run to verify that the meter is correctly calibrated.

I think these and many other thoughts should be added to a proposed surgery pre-op checklist for people with diabetes. And I think some organization should take charge of developing this checklist, perhaps AACE, or AADE, or ADA. I don't care who develops it. But I sure hope they work one out and have it available for all surgeons to use by the time the WHO checklist is widely used, at the end of next year.

Until then, you and your diabetes doc should think through what factors about your diabetes would be crucial for you to survive surgery, and together, make sure that you have your own personal pre-op checklist.