The prestigious American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program was recently awarded to Western Baptist Hospital. The ADA believes that this program offers high-quality diabetes self-management education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

The Association’s Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational programs meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. These Standards were developed and tested under the auspices of the National Diabetes Advisory Board in 1983 and were revised by the diabetes community in 1994 and 2000.
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. “This process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of services they provide,” comments Kathy West, Diabetes Case Manager at Western Baptist. “And, of course, it assures the consumer that he or she will likely receive high-quality service.” Education Recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and is awarded for three years.

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 18.2 million people or 6.3 percent of the population in the United States who have diabetes. While an estimated 13 million people have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 5.2 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Each day, approximately 3,561 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 1.3 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes this year.

For more information on diabetes classes at Western Baptist Hospital, call (270) 575-2282.