Have you ever run out of glucose sensors?I do, a lot of times.
From what I understand, for some years now the distribution of glucose sensors for continuous monitoring has been a right recognized and guaranteed by the Spanish Medicines Agency and the General Directorate of Assistance Programs.
However, as it is considered an expensive product, distribution is tracked, recorded and exhaustively controlled, so they assign each patient six sensors every 3 months, understanding that each sensor lasts 15 days and that everything will go like clockwork.
But we all know that the sensors, which arrived late in Spain - years later - compared to other European countries, are not infallible: they remain blocked and ask you to scan 10 minutes later, they give approximate readings whose error is sometimes aberrant, and sometimes they directly fall or break down and it is necessary to request a replacement.In these cases, it is assumed that it is the patient's responsibility to request a replacement from the company (Abbot).But, still demanding substitutions and everything...
I'm sure that more than one person here has had to pay out of pocket for the odd extra sensor or return to the exclusive use of those blood glucose strips at some point.
Well.
Why are we left without sensors?
1. The calculation of the time that "a sensor lasts" when assigning them to the patient is unrealistic, since there may be hundreds of alterations, delays or justifiable incidents that leave us without a sensor.For example, what happens if the last sensor asks me to replace it and I don't have any other spares?What happens if small delays in delivery add up that, accumulated, leave me missing a sensor?Or if the staff that distributes them gets confused and calls late, which has also happened to me...
2. So, there are cases in which we can be left without a sensor for justified reasons, it is striking that pharmacy managers do not have access to any extra sensors, and that they do not have any option to remedy an emergency.For example, neither doctors nor endocrinologists can "prescribe" a sensor.And they also do not redistribute available sensors to plug holes while requesting more.
Today I filed a complaint with my health center because it is not the first time they have left me without sensors.
On this occasion, I was very surprised to learn that the next delivery date they have for me is almost 20 days later than I would have needed.It is serious because, for other health reasons, I am undergoing very demanding check-ups, and I cannot afford not to have a sensor NOW.
I have been having a talk with the distribution manager - who must think that if I do not have sensors available it is because I have been negligent and have not claimed the ones that have been damaged, which is not the case - and he assures me that the system works perfectly, because "he only receives three or four complaints a year", although the administration staff did tell me that there were a number of complaints about that.What is happening?THAT WE TAKE THE RAGE HOME, or that we simply make comments in administration without formally complaining.
I ask you to please file a formal complaint when this happens, because this has to go higher or they will continue to heat up the pot little by little.
To my surprise, from this long talk I had with the manager I extracted two keys that I think will interest you as much as I do:
A. The manager in charge assured that neither he nor the regional officials have the power to reorganize the issue of the sensors, revealing that he does not have the tools to raise the claim, negotiate a surplus margin for emergency cases or do anything about it, so the problem can only continue if we do nothing.
B. Worst of all: they plan to withdraw the distribution of test strips to leave us only with the sensors, because apparently the companies in charge of providing sensors to public health claim to have had so many improvements that the sensors will be enough for glucose control.I don't know about you, but the strips have saved me from many things over the last year, when I have had the occasional poorly calibrated sensor that gave me meaningless data, and also when I have run out of sensors.
I don't want to find myself without sensors, and also without strips, having a talk with a manager like the one who spoke to me today, who treated my claim as an individual matter when it is clearly systematic.We have to avoid it!
...
In short: it is true that the arrival of the sensors has felt like May water after many years fighting to have them available in Spanish healthcare, standardizing our access with that which other neighboring countries had already been enjoying for years.But let's not settle.
There are thousands of diabetics in Spain, and the number is only growing.If we want to defend supplies for all, we have to fight for it.
Likewise, I often wonder what happens to diabetics, that having a condition that seems so screwed up to everyone, it seems completely crazy that they grant us some degree of disability, some support, some push... But that is another topic.
For today, with everyone complaining when there is a shortage and fighting for access to the sensors, I already have a problem in my teeth.
Right now I'm going to raise my claim higher.
Health and confidence!
