fbpx

PHONE NUMBER: 701-567-4561
IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY CALL 911

WRHS Diabetes Education Program Merits ADA Recognition

 

The prestigious American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program was recently awarded to the West River Health Services Diabetes Program in June. The program was originally recognized in July of 2002. ADA believes that this program offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

The Association’s Education Recognition Certificates assure that educational programs meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. These standards were developed and tested under the support of the National Diabetes Advisory Board in 1983 and were revised by the diabetes community in 1994, 2000 and 2007.

Programs apply for recognition voluntarily. Programs that achieve recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide participants with comprehensive information about diabetes management. “The process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of services they provide,” comments Barbara West, RN, CDE, West River Health Services Diabetes Education Coordinator.

“And, of course, it assures the consumer that he or she will likely receive high-quality service,” adds Linda Nudell, RD, LRD, CDE, Manager of the program. Education recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and awarded for four years.

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 25.8 million people of 8.5% of the population in the Unites States who have diabetes. While an estimated 18.8 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 7.0 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Each day approximately 5,205 people are diagnosed with diabetes. Many will first learn that they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications – heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve disease and amputation. About 1.9 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older in 2010 in the US. Diabetes contributed to 231,404 deaths in 2007, making it the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people of similar age without diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading non-profit health organizations supporting diabetes research, advocacy and information for health professionals, patients and the public. Founded in 1940, the association has an area office in every state and conducts programs in communities nationwide.

For more information on recognized education programs in your area or other American Diabetes Association programs, call your local ADA office or contact the ADA online at www.diabetes.org.

07/15/2011

For more information, sample newsletters or to get on our mailing list contact:

        Community Relations
        West River Regional Medical Center
        1000 Highway 12
        Hettinger, ND 58639-753

 

<- BACK TO NEWS