Health Signs - Summer 2010 - (Page 7)

Left: Washington Outpatient Diabetes Center staff members, pictured left to right, are Darlene Eiras, LVN II; Vida Reed, R.N., CDE; and Sandy Mertesdorf, R.N., CDE Below: The Washington Outpatient Diabetes Center is now located at 3575 Beacon Ave. in Fremont and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Comprehensive Diabetes Education Gets a New Home Expanded programs and services help people with diabetes manage their disease Washington Hospital’s Outpatient Diabetes Program has a new home and a new name. The Washington Outpatient Diabetes Center celebrated the opening of its new location (3575 Beacon Ave. in Fremont) with an open house and health fair in May. “Our new location is beautiful,” says Vida Reed, a registered nurse and certified diabetes educator at Washington Hospital. “The educators were involved throughout the entire planning process, from the layout of the rooms to the color scheme. The new center has been designed to benefit patients.” The center has received the prestigious American Diabetes Association (ADA) Education Recognition Certificate for meeting the national standards for diabetes self-management education. Programs applying for recognition voluntarily undergo a rigorous review process by experts in the field of diabetes. W Even More Programs to Help You Manage Over the past several years, the Washington Outpatient Diabetes Center has expanded its diabetes program to include a range of programs, group classes and one-to-one classes geared toward specific topics related to diabetes management. Programs include: • Complete Diabetes Program: Comprehensive education designed to increase patients’ knowledge and skill about their condition and promote behaviors for the self-management of their health. • Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT): Intensive and focused nutrition therapy service that relies on follow-up and feedback to change behavior over a period of time. Ideal for patients who struggle with weight management. • Sweet Success Program: A model of care for women who plan to conceive and pregnant women with diabetes that helps to improve pregnancy outcomes. • Diabetes Matters: A free, monthly diabetes education class with expert speakers who provide science-based information to help all community members increase knowledge about diabetes. • Diabetes Support Group: Provides a safe environment for patients to share challenges and successes of self-managing diabetes. The monthly support group is moderated by a certified diabetes educator. Treatment and Education Work Hand in Hand Having access to programs like these in the local community is more important than ever, Reed says. “The prevalence of diabetes is growing and Washington Hospital serves communities that have some of the highest incidence of diabetes in the state of California,” Reed says. “As a result, more people in this area are affected by diabetes. “Effectively treating and managing diabetes requires that people learn new things that can help them make necessary lifestyle adjustments,” she says. While diabetes education and clinical treatment of diabetes are inherently different, both are equally important, according to Reed. To match the goals of diabetes education, the center’s new location has a comfortable and soothing nonclinical environment in which patients can learn the appropriate tools for diabetes self-management. Additionally, the new location is easily accessible and offers generous parking. “We will continue to hold some of our classes in the Conrad E. Anderson, M.D. Auditoriums inside Washington West [2500 Mowry Ave. in Fremon] because it is a state-of-the-art facility and it can accommodate our larger classes,” Reed says. “It’s important for people to know that we are still very much a part of Washington Hospital, but our new space is focused solely on education about diabetes.” Research shows that diabetes education helps people prevent, delay or reverse complications through effective self-management, and Washington Hospital’s Outpatient Diabetes Center works with patients, family members and physicians to design a lifestyle plan that works for each individual. The center’s dedicated team of certified diabetes educators teaches the skills needed to control diabetes for a lifetime. NEW HOME FOR DIABETES EDUCATION The Washington Outpatient Diabetes Center is now located at 3575 Beacon Ave. in Fremont and is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the program, call 510-745-6556 or visit whhs.com/diabetes. SUMMER 2010 7 http://www.whhs.com/diabetes

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Health Signs - Summer 2010

Health Signs - Summer 2010
FREE Concert Series
Double Hip Replacement Patient Now Dances the Night Away
Are You Properly Prepared for a Disaster?
Comprehensive Diabetes Education Gets a New Home

Health Signs - Summer 2010