At AM Diabetic & Endocrinology Center, tucked among nondescript warehouses in Bartlett, Dr. Kashif Latif leads his team in the battle against Type 1 diabetes, delaying its consequences through early diagnosis and improving patient outcomes with cutting-edge interventions. He’s driven by a primal human emotion- selfless love for one’s children.
“A few years into my career as an internist, I was in Nashville at a conference, outside the banquet hall with my wife at the time, talking to Dr. George Bergen, who was Chief of Pediatrics at Le Bonheur,” he said.
“‘We’re so proud of our son Ahmed because he’s drinking from a sippy cup, only 11 months old,’ I said. ‘His diapers are heavy because he’s drinking so much.’”
This seemingly insignificant conversation happened on Friday, day one of the conference, to which they had brought Ahmed. Dr. Latif and his ex-wife- also a physician- attended lectures and networked through the end of sessions Sunday, tag-teaming Ahmed’s care while worrying about his increasing lethargy and crankiness.
Driving home, they stopped at a zoo. Giraffes, ice cream cones, ostriches- nothing penetrated Ahmed’s fussiness. At home that night, he clung to his mother’s breast, nursing to calm an insatiable thirst.
On an early morning phone call, the family’s pediatrician directed them to the ER.
“The nurse asked if anyone in our family had diabetes,” he said. “I immediately knew that’s what it was.”
Ahmed was rushed to Le Bonheur by ambulance with Dr. Latif hot on its heels in his own car.
“I made a promise then. ‘I will make sure you grow up without this affecting you.’”
An internist for three years, he still found learning about at-home diabetes treatment grueling. He and Ahmed’s mom learned to prick a toe for a blood sample, to agitate the insulin vial for two minutes before drawing a dose, how vials could only be stored for 28 days after the first use. They were handed syringes of saline and directed to inject themselves.
“I remember thinking ‘I’ve written hundreds of perceptions for insulin and I’ve never told any of this to a single soul,’” he said. “That was the beginning of this journey to where I am today.”
Where he is today is a tribute to his love for his son. Ahmed’s diagnosis came in 1996. Dr. Latif left his internist practice to train as an endocrinologist and in 2002 delivered on the promise he had made, opening AM Diabetes & Endocrinology Center, named after his son. The innovative facility is designed from the floor up to equip patients with everything they need to live well with diabetes.
Touring his clinic took more than two hours, peeking into rooms and meeting specialists of all stripes.
“From the very beginning, diabetes education has been at our core,” he said. “As a practicing physician, I wasn’t trained thoroughly on the nuances of this condition. To this day, if you look at the teachings in residency training for diabetes, insulin pumps, therapy, all of it- it’s miniscule, less than 1%.”
Today, the clinic excels in treating patients because of an intentional balance of education, technology, lifestyle coaching, and a staff bristling with talent.
“There’s no secret sauce to this,” said Dr. Latif. “The magic is our people.”
AM boasts a staff diabetes educator whose classroom occupies significant real estate in the building. Patients learn the science of their condition and how to live well in spite of it. Educating patients is a known financial drain avoided by other operations, but the investment earned AM accreditation from the American Diabetes Association for diabetes self-management education.
Down a corridor from the classroom sits the nutritionist’s office, where patients receive care tailored to them- their physicality, their age, their lifestyle. Their goal is to provide real-time monitoring and adjustments to maintain optimal blood glucose control and avoid complications, monitoring patients online and in person.
As we made our way to the large and well-appointed gym, Dr. Latif told us about his interest in emerging technology. He was the second physician in the country to implant the current generation of sensors in a patient by a mere three hours. His clinic was the first to implant 100. Its Insulin Pump Center is unique in the U.S., teaching patients about the nuts and bolts of pump therapy and offering highly personalized treatment.
After a quick stop to watch a half dozen patients laughing through a competitive match of musical chairs in a large workout room, coached by of a pair of smiling staff members, we entered the enormous gym. Patients hefted dumbbells, clanked hip abductors, and galloped on treadmills.
“It’s much more effective having medical support and advice directly from the patient’s doctor,” said Jay Randall, who runs this side of the operation, having joined the team after a long career leading fitness centers across the Mid-South. “For example, if hormones are off, it’s hard to lose weight. We work with the medical team to help each patient develop the habit of exercising.”
Dr. Latif next led us to the Insulin Pump Center, where he introduced us to Alieah Griggs, an MA at the clinic.
“We’re the only clinic like this in the world with an insulin pump center, where we train patients about their pumps,” she said. “I had a patient today, her first follow up after starting on it. Her A1C had dropped from eight to six, and she’d lost 20 pounds. It’s cool to see the changes that the patients have and improvements that we make.”
“Don’t let her youth deceive you,” said Dr. Latif, grinning at his colleague. “She knows more about pumps and their algorithms than many providers and physicians.”
“I like the science behind it. I’m Type 1 myself and wear a pump,” said Alieah. “I like seeing the changes we make in people’s lives because I’m also a patient. I’ve been his patient since I was six years old. I was working at St. Francis and came in one day with my scrubs on. He was like ‘Why are you not working here?’ I was like ‘I don’t know.’”
Proud of what he’s built, Dr. Latif still wants to do more to combat diabetes in our region, which affects about 15.5% of the population compared to the national average of 10-12%.
“Scrolling LinkedIn last year, I saw something from Memphis Mayor Paul Young,” he said. On a whim, Dr. Latif reached out.
“I said ‘Shelby County has 150,000 diabetics and 5% have been diagnosed with Type 1,’” he told the Mayor. “’But there are so many more who simply don’t know. Can you designate a day for screening for Memphis?’”
“He says, ‘Yes, we can.’ So in November we observe Diabetes Month. He signed it into law, declaring a Type 1D Screening Day, the first in the nation, the first anywhere.”
Screening is Dr. Latif’s legacy. He calls this era his ‘second inning,’ a reference to the sport of cricket, hugely popular in his home country, Pakistan. Unlike baseball, each team gets just two shots at the win, two halves of the game to do what needs to be done.
“In my first inning, we delivered this proof of concept,” he said, gesturing to the small world he’s built. “We’ve taken care of people, and I have learned, and learned, and learned. My second inning is about giving back.”
“My wish is that everybody in Shelby County gets screened,” he said. “I want my second inning to be early diagnosis and delaying onset now to lead to prevention. I’m putting all my energy, efforts, and finances into this.”
“I think of the people in our community who suffer,” he said. “If we change their trajectory, I’m smiling when I’m dying.”
