I agree completely. I think medical care for diabetics is broken, broken, broken.
For example, I was given Lantus by several different doctors (I moved twice) over a three-year period without ANY instruction on what might cause me to go hypo, how to prevent it, how to recognize one coming on, what to keep on-hand to treat a hypo, how to treat a hypo, the importance of wearing a medic ID when using insulin, etc. I distinctly remember asking one doctor if too much insulin or low blood sugar was a concern with Lantus and he told me no! Sheesh.
I had to find out the hard way: a BG of 36 and a visit from the EMT's! Then a few more in the 50's before I figured out what was going on.
I find this appalling, to say the least.
No doctor has ever really helped me with diabetes beyond writing a prescription. The three doctors I consulted after my scary hypos started happening had either never heard of delayed exercise-induced hypoglycemia or else they missed all the glaring signs.
I find the neglect, ignorance and lack of care pretty terrifying, actually. Now that I've taken control of my own care -- and stopped relying on doctors -- I feel better, but how many diabetics out there are illiterate, have no access to the internet, have been raised to deify their doctors and just do whatever the doctor says without question, etc.?
Every diabetic who can't get to a Dr. Bernstein should be seen in a comprehensive diabetes clinic that has CDE's, nutritionists who understand how carbs impact diabetes control, and doctors who are happy to be advocates and educators, giving new patients books to read, teaching them self-management, etc. People should get intensive help/training on basal, bolus and corrections, I:C ratios, the vital importance of normalizing insulin levels, etc.
I call what we get now "drive-by medicine". It's almost worse than no medical care at all in that it gives too many people a false sense of security. If you knew you had diabetes and no doctor, at least you might be motivated to go to the library and get some books. As it is now, too many people are floating around with double-digit A1C's and no clue of the danger they're in because their doctors are useless.