Directions to Center for Diabetes & Endocrinology

Gulnar Poorsattar, M.D., F.A.C.E., C.D.E.

Gulnar Poorsattar received her M.D. degree at Dow University Medical School. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Maryland. Her Endocrinology and Metabolism Fellowship was completed at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Poorsattar is board certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Holistic Medicine, and she is a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology (F.A.C.E.). She is a Certified Diabetes Educator (C.D.E.) as well.

Prior to coming to Ventura, Dr. Poorsattar practiced for 20 years in Rockford, Illinois and was Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Rockford. She was appointed director for the Center for Diabetes Control (CDC) by the National Diabetes Advisory Board (NDAB).

Active in the community, Dr Poorsattar received the Rotary Club Service Above Self Award. She is a Paul Harris Fellow. Dr Poorsattar was also awarded the YWCA Leadership Award in Science.

Currently Dr Poorsattar has an extensive Diabetes Education and Prevention Center in Ventura, is a charter member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and is active in the California chapters of AACE, AMA, ADA, AADE, and HGF.

Susan Speer

Susan Speer is our own nutrition expert and health coach, who has been providing diabetes management classes at the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology since January, 2005. Susan is a certified diabetes educator, a registered dietitian with a Master's degree in nutrition, and a fellow of the American Dietetic Association. But don't let that scare you. Susan's lively and entertaining style make learning fun and interesting and her down-to-earth approach means participants leave with practical information they can use in their everyday lives.

Susan has been developing and teaching programs in health promotion and disease management for over 30 years in both academic and public health settings. In the past Susan was a clinical instructor for the UCLA School of Medicine and director of nutrition education for the SM-UCLA Family Practice Residency where she taught nutrition and health education to physicians for 16 years. She was also director of complementary and alternative medicine education at the SM-UCLA residency and continues to use her expertise in herbs and dietary supplements in her practice today.

Currently, Susan continues as the chief program consultant and health coach for the Ventura County Worksite Wellness Program. Susan develops and teachs programs in everything from weight control and diabetes managment to smoking cessation and stress reduction. As a health coach, Susan works with individuals to help them make lifestyle changes that result in personally improved health and wellness.

Susan is also director of nutrition services at the St. John's Cancer Center and nutrition professor at Moorpark Community College. She is a frequent invitational speaker and has made presentations to a host of community and professional organizations including the Wellness Community, the US Forest Service, Camarillo Healthcare District, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, St. John's Diabetes Academy, and the Oaks Health Spa to name a few.

Dr. Ron Bogoian

Dr. Bogoian is a podiatrist serving the needs of patients with care in foot and ankle medicine and surgery. Dr. Bogoian graduated from residency in 2007 in Northwest Indiana (Chicagoland) and completed 3 years total of resident training. Two of those years were in a Podiatric Surgical Residency where his residency experience consisted of just over 1500 surgical procedures with increased levels of care in diabetic foot intervention and elective surgical procedures for lower extremity deformities. Trauma and general podiatric medical care were also part of the training regiment. Dr. Bogoian currently holds licensure by the state of California with active and unrestricted foot and ankle surgery privileges.

Diabetes is part of the reason that Dr. Bogoian sought out a career in podiatric medicine. With family members who were diabetic, he knows the risks that diabetic patients encounter.
�When an individual is diagnosed with diabetes, in my opinion and some literature has shown, they immediately need a diabetic specialist monitoring their blood sugars, a podiatrist watching their feet, an eye doctor watching their vision and sometimes a kidney doctor making sure there are no evolving problems. I see it as my job to educate patients on healthy foot care and intervene medically and surgically when needed. Hopefully patients will use the knowledge I convey to them to avoid diabetic foot complications.�

Dr. Bogoian has been involved in care of diabetic patients as well as all aspects of surgical intervention, including procedures from simple incision and drainage to amputations. He has lectured on diabetic peripheral neuropathy and sensation renewing surgical procedures.

"Most patients and even some doctors do not know that a surgical procedure exists that can enhance sensation to the foot if a patient is developing long term continual numbness and tingling. It is a very new procedure and despite being in literature for nearly 2 years, not many physician outside of foot and ankle care know about it. Everyone isn�t necessarily a candidate for the surgery but for those that are, a very high success rate (some level of return of sensation) has been noted in not only the literature but also the cases I performed in residency."

�Education and intervention is the key to saving limbs, feet and toes in diabetics. If a blister is caught soon enough on an insensate patient, it will never develop into an ulcer, then the ulcer will never get infected, then the bone won�t get infected and the amputation won�t be needed or happen. Sadly, these are the steps that many diabetics go through and never seek profession advice until they need an amputation.�

�I first and foremost see my job as a doctor involved in the team care of diabetic patients to educate and deliver treatment early in the disease process, hopefully avoiding complications. However, if a patient presents to me later on in the evolution of a foot problem, I can hopefully intervene with medicine and sometimes surgery and save your foot or toe. But sometimes amputations are inevitable and sad. If there is one lesson to be learned by all diabetics it is the following. Amputations can be common in diabetics but shouldn�t be and can be avoided with patient diligence, professional monitoring and good foot care.�

If you have patients or are a patient with diabetes or other foot and ankle medical problems, please contact the Centers for Diabetes scheduling department to have them directed to Dr Bogoian�s care.

Anodyne Therapy System

Anodyne Therapy System is an exciting new technology has demonstrated excellent clinical results with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy including:

Improved wound healing in chronic non-healing wounds

Faster healing and prevention of pressure ulcers

Potential to prevent amputations in diabetic patients

Faster healing of all types of injuries and surgeries

Better pain management

Reduction in pain medications

Restoration of protective sensation in diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Improved gait and balance with potential to reduce falls due to DPN and arthritis pain

The Anodyne system is approved by the FDA and has been proven effective in thousands of patients for reduction of pain and increasing local circulation. Anodyne is non-invasive, drug free and safe

People with cold and burning feet are welcome to try a free 10 minute session of Anodyne Therapy at Center for Diabetes by appointment. Call 805-653-5550.

Insulin Pump Therapy

The Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology & Nutrition offers a pump support group which meets every month. This group is moderated by specially trained endocrinologists and dieticians. The group exchanges knowledge andexperiences in order to pass on higher levels of skills in self care.

We evaluate candidates and prepare them for initiation of pump therapy, and
ensure that they are able to maximize the utility of this technology. The
concept of pump therapy is to create an environment identical to that of a
natural healthy human pancreas. This allows patients flexibility of
lifestyle and near normal glucose at all times with no complications or
hypoglycemic reactions.

Other useful links:
Minimed link (www.medtronic.com)
Online Pump School Link (https://pumpschool.minimed.com)

Diabetes Technology

Diabetes Technology
Improved methods of achieving
blood sugar control by Utilizing Diabetes Technology

Testamonials: Coming soon!

Center for Diabetes & Endocrinology

Gulnar Poorsattar, M.D., F.A.C.E.
Endocrinology - Diabetes - Lipid - Thyroid - Nutrition
400 Camarillo Ranch Road, Camarillo, California 93012
Phone (805) 482-5550 Fax (805) 482-3330