# What chronic care misses when the visit ends

> Three voices on why managing a lifelong illness is as much emotional work as medical work.
- Title: What chronic care misses when the visit ends · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: Three voices on why managing a lifelong illness is as much emotional work as medical work. Good chronic care treats the patient's day and mind, not just…
- Keywords: diabetes, chronic illness, patient care, mental health, health tech, chronic, care, misses, visit, ends, TIME
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/collection/time100-leadership-forums/2026/designed-for-life-rethinking-chronic-care-around-patients
- Published: 2026-09-11T01:05:49+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: diabetes, chronic illness, patient care, mental health, health tech
## Gatorade for a coma
At 11, Garrett Vogel's parents thought he had the flu and kept handing him Gatorade. He arrived at the hospital with blood sugar over 1,000.

> The doctor looked at me like, 'How are you still walking?'
## Nobody handled the feelings
His endocrinologist delivered the medical facts. The emotional heavy lifting, including explaining that this would not be gone tomorrow, fell to his parents.
## Thirty years, still learning
Vogel says better tech helped, but so did getting comfortable asking questions and talking to others who live with it. Strangers with Type 1 or Type 2 share the same daily grind.

> Not being scared to ask questions.
## Type 2 gets less grace
Insulet CEO Ashley McEvoy says Type 2 is chronic and progressive, yet misconceptions mean patients get less compassion than those with Type 1.

> There's not as much empathy in Type 2.
## Design out the decisions
McEvoy says good devices come from studying patients' days, not just their charts. Insulet is building a Type 2 system with no mealtime doses or manual settings, so primary-care doctors can prescribe it.
## Patients teaching the doctors
Dr. Judith Joseph found people with a rare condition felt invisible until they met online. They now bring what they learn from each other back to their providers, and she urges them to refuse shame.

> Challenge that feeling of shame.
## Key takeaway

Good chronic care treats the patient's day and mind, not just their lab numbers.