Diabetes Center at Memorial Hospital: Medical Management and Education For Those With Diabetes and Their Families

12/3/10

Diabetes is a disease in which the body has a shortage of insulin, a decreased ability to use insulin, or both. Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose (sugar) to enter cells and be converted to energy. When diabetes is not controlled, glucose and fats remain in the blood and, over time, damage vital organs.

If current trends continue, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 1 in 3 Americans will develop diabetes sometime in their lifetime and those with diabetes will lose, on average, 10–15 years of life.

As the only diabetes center north of Rochester, the Diabetes Center at Memorial Hospital provides medical management and education for those with diabetes and other endocrine problems. The goal: to help those newly diagnosed to adjust to living with diabetes, and to promote wellness in all those with diabetes through a variety of personalized treatment and educational plans.

Under the direction of William E. Dudley, MD, FACE, CDE, a specialist in endocrinology and internal medicine, the Diabetes Center services include a insulin pump program, a gestational diabetes program, as well as a full calendar of educational classes that are open to people with diabetes as well as their families.

Anyone with diabetes is eligible for our classes You don’t have to be a patient to take advantage of them — and, even if you don’t have a healthcare provider in the North Conway area, your doctor can refer you to us.

“There are so many people who would benefit from these classes—even people who’ve had diabetes for many years,” said Registered Dietician Barbara Smith, MS, RD, LD, CDE, who is a Certified Diabetes Educator. “Because the Diabetes Center at Memorial Hospital is an American Diabetes Association recognized program, most insurances will pay for most of the cost of the classes. For instance, Medicare will pay for 10 hours of education in the first year following diagnosis, but a physician can prescribe more education if the patient changes medications, has a specific problem or their medical situation changes. For our upcoming Basic & Survival Skills Class on Wednesday, December 15, Medicare and most insurances will cover 80% of the cost of the class; and if a patient has Medicare plus another insurance, the class will likely be completely covered.”

Before attending a class, anyone with diabetes should have met with Smith to develop an individualized meal plan and/or met with educator Wendy Abcunas, BSN, RN, to assess their knowledge of diabetes and to set goals for their diabetes education.

A referral from the patient’s primary care provider is required to participate in Center programs and classes. The Diabetes Center staff can assist with this, and answer questions about program costs and billing to insurance. 

Upcoming Classes & Support Group Meetings at the Diabetes Center at Memorial Hospital

Pre-registration is required for all classes; no registration is required for the Support Group. Call the Diabetes Center for more information or to register: 356-0796. Participants are encouraged to bring a family member or support person to the classes.

Diabetes Basic & Survival Skills Class: Wednesday, December 15th, 1-3pm. For newly diagnosed people who are not able or not ready to take the Diabetes Information Series classes. The basics are covered: What is diabetes? What should I eat? When should I test my blood sugars? Next offered Thursday, March 10th, 10am-noon.

Diabetes Information Series: Thursdays 1-3pm, January 13, 20, 27 and February 3. Approved by the American Diabetes Association, this class provides an overview of diabetes as well as information on meal planning; hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia; blood glucose monitoring; managing sick days; preventing complications; medications; exercise; stress management; coping skills and goal setting. This series is offered four times a year; future 4-week series will begin April 7 (5-7pm), June 9 (10am-noon) and October 6 (5-7pm).

Diabetes Refresher Class: Thursday, February 17th, 10am-noon. A class for those who have completed the Diabetes Information Series classes and want a refresher to answer questions about meal planning, understanding blood sugar or other issues. The class is individualized to answer participants’ questions. Next offered Thursday, May 5th, 10am-noon.

Diabetes Support Group: 5:30-6:30pm on the first Wednesday of each month except July, August and December. This free monthly support group for people with diabetes and their families meets in the Sun Room.

Diabetes Is Common, Disabling, and Deadly

• 23.6 million people in the United States (7.8% of the total population) have diabetes. Of these, 5.7 million have undiagnosed diabetes.
• In 2007, about 1.6 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older.
• African American, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaska Native adults are twice as likely as white adults to have diabetes.
• If current trends continue, 1 in 3 Americans will develop diabetes sometime in their lifetime, and those with diabetes will lose, on average, 10–15 years of life.
• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness, kidney failure, and non traumatic lower-extremity amputations among adults.
• Diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death on U.S. death certificates in 2006. Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes of similar age.
• In 1999–2000, 7% of U.S. adolescents aged 12–19 years had impaired fasting glucose (pre-diabetes), putting them at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Source: CDC

Diabetes is costly

• Total costs (direct and indirect) of diabetes: $174 billion.
• Direct medical costs: $116 billion.
• Indirect costs (related to disability, work loss, premature death): $58 billion.
• People with diagnosed diabetes have medical expenditures that are about 2.3 times higher than medical expenditures for people without diabetes

Source: CDC