CountyCare Member Story
CountyCare Helps Member with Substance Use Disorder and Diabetes
Tom* is a 39-year-old CountyCare member who struggles with substance abuse and has diabetes, among other chronic health issues. His diabetes was uncontrolled causing Tom to regularly use the emergency room instead of going to his primary care provider (PCP) for care. He expressed to his care coordinator that he has a hard time managing his medications and treatments due to his multiple health issues.
His care coordinator developed a care plan to help address his needs. First, his care coordinator educated him on different scenarios for when to see his PCP, visit an urgent care location or if an emergency room visit was necessary. The care coordinator also provided Tom with comprehensive diabetes education and signed him up for a managing your diabetes class and referred him to a substance use program.
Tom was able to enroll in a substance use treatment program and has been sober for over a year. Thanks to his care coordinator’s help, he successfully manages his diabetes while keeping his use of the emergency room to a minimum – and reports feeling better overall.
* Name and identifying details have been changed to protect anonymity
