Philly Leader

Meaghan Kim and Casey Dascher, two leaders at Temple Health, have stepped into an unexpected role by volunteering to provide diabetes care directly at the bedside. Kim, Assistant Vice President of Population Health, and Dascher, Temple Diabetes Program Manager, both certified diabetes educators, took on this challenge after a sudden vacancy arose in the inpatient Diabetes Educator position at TUH-Main Campus.

"About a month ago, we had a sudden opening in our inpatient Diabetes Educator role at TUH-Main Campus," said Dascher. "We had just established the position a year ago, and Meaghan and I were determined to make something work."

Both have extensive experience with patient care. While Dascher has primarily worked with outpatients in endocrinology and primary care settings, Kim has previously served as an inpatient bedside nurse and led diabetes education teams. They decided to fill the gap themselves temporarily.

"We know diabetes. We know what patients need," stated Kim. She emphasized that their new EndoTool glucose management system was also being introduced at the same time, providing additional resources for nurses and health professionals.

Their work involves educating patients about managing diabetes during their hospital stay. This includes teaching survival skills like insulin administration and blood sugar monitoring. "In the outpatient setting... you’re teaching survival skills," Dascher explained.

Kim highlighted that many patients they encounter are newly diagnosed or have uncontrolled A1C levels. The goal is to ensure these patients can manage their condition safely upon discharge and connect them with ongoing ambulatory care services.

While still recruiting for the permanent Diabetes Educator role, both leaders find their temporary involvement enriching. "I keep saying that this has been the best thing because it’s given me a whole different perspective," Kim remarked.

The experience is expected to aid in better onboarding of future hires while allowing them to remain connected to frontline patient care. Interested applicants for the Diabetes Educator position can find more information on Temple Health's recruitment page.