Department of Endocrinology
About
Program Overview
The Endocrinology team is committed to providing excellent and comprehensive clinical care and consultation to those who are referred and diagnosed with diabetes and endocrinology conditions. Our diabetes team includes endocrinologists and a diabetologist who work together with diabetes education specialists, pharmacists and behavioral health specialists to optimize treatment plan for all types of diabetes. We have an active Insulin pump program and use continuous glucose monitors frequently. We have experts in thyroid disease managing thyroid nodules, thyroid dysfunction, and thyroid cancer. In addition to high-quality clinical work, we also strive to have excellent teaching of a residents and students and support meaningful and community-based research.
Virginia Tech Carilion Partnership
Together, we are working to transform health care by educating the physician leaders of tomorrow. VTCSOM uses a patient-centered curriculum designed to develop physicians who can take research from the lab to the patient’s bedside. Students learn, train and work side by side with Carilion’s highly experienced medical staff. A fourth year clinical elective is available for eligible students.
Mission, Goals and Strengths
Our Vision: To improve the health of the people in our community diagnosed with diabetes or endocrine disease.
Our Mission: Providing excellent diabetes and endocrine care for the people we serve, excellent education of those we teach, and excellent and meaningful research to better our community.
Message from Leadership
Andrew Behnke, MD, Chief
Department specs
Carilion Clinic offers coordinated surgical care for endocrine patients. Our multidisciplinary team of otolaryngology (ENT), surgical and endocrinology specialists diagnose thyroid, parathyroid, pancreatic and adrenal conditions, and coordinate care from comprehensive testing through minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic, robotic and scarless approaches).
Program Size
- 4 full-time board certified endocrinologists
- 1 full-time board certified diabetologist
Services
- Consultation for adults (>18) with endocrine diagnoses
- Thyroid ultrasound
- Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules
- Thyroid cancer management
- Insulin pump starts and management
- Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
- Hormonal testing including ACTH stimulation testing
- Diabetes performance improvement program
Conditions Treated
- Adrenal dysfunction
- Adrenal nodules (including cortisol and catecholamine excess)
- Diabetes (Type 1,2, GDM)
- Obesity
- Osteoporosis
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Thyroid disease (thyroid nodules, hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer)
- Pituitary disease and dysfunction
- Acromegaly
- Pituitary tumors
- Cushing's syndrome
Areas We Serve
- Roanoke
- New River Valley
Research
Our team is involved in several research projects including:
- Select Macro and Micro-nutrient Intake Deficiencies among Patients with Diabetes in Southwestern Virginia.
- Hypercalcemia and reflex PTH testing.
- Diabetes Improvement in poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes.
Faculty
Faculty
Education
Overview
The section provides education of medical students and residents who wish to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to diagnose and treat persons with a variety of endocrinology conditions. Rotations are set up on a two or four week block and include both inpatient and outpatient exposure.
The Section of Endocrinology provides a monthly endocrine grand rounds, usually on the first Wednesday of the month. Faculty members and other invited experts provide updates and unique insights on contemporaneity management of endocrine conditions. This activity is approved for CME.
In addition, we have been invited to share this activity with the endocrine section of the University of Virginia. Access to UVA grand rounds is presented to members of the section and residents who are on service.
Most of the Faculty members of the section of endocrinology have appointments at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTSCOM). We are active in teaching medical student lectures and providing a 4th year clinical rotation.
FAQs
Q. What should I expect when I refer a patient for consultation to Endocrinology at Carilion?
A. We strive to provide prompt and expert consultations for adults who are sent to us with diabetes or endocrinology conditions. When a patient is referred for a consultation, the information will be reviewed by one of our physician reviewers. This will ensure that all the necessary information and diagnosis are current and appropriate for an endocrinology referral. The patient will then be triaged to see one of our specialists. The date of the consultation is generally less than 6 weeks from the initial request. We will work hard and involve multiple partners to ensure the patient has all the resources they need to manage their diabetes or other endocrinology condition. After the consultation is complete, the patient will generally be sent back to the referring doctor for continuing treatment and monitoring. At that time, prescription refills are the responsibility of the referring providers.
Q. Are there any programs for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes?
A. Patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes will be evaluated for enrollment in the Diabetes Performance Improvement Program (DPIP). This multidisciplinary intensive treatment requires frequent follow-up and weekly consultations with the team to ensure optimal disease management. Patient participation and compliance with this program are critical to its success. In addition, patients are asked to use continuous glucose monitoring as a tool to provide close follow-up. After the patient's graduate from this Boot Camp program, they return to the care of the PCP for further diabetes management and maintenance.
