Geisinger Wyoming Valley's diabetes education program earns ADA recognition
WILKES BARRE — Geisinger Wyoming Valley was recently awarded the prestigious American Diabetes Association (ADA) Education Recognition Certificate for maintaining a quality diabetes self-management education program. According to the ADA, programs like Geisinger’s offer high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.
In photo, from back left to right Endocrinologists Prashant Nadkarni, MD; Ronald Harris, MD; and Brian Jameson, DO; and front left to right diabetes nurse educator Mary Spencer, RN, CDE, CPT; and dietitian Renee Winter-Bertsch, RD, LD, make up the diabetes self-management training team at Geisinger Wyoming Valley.(click for Hi-Res)
Geisinger’s diabetes self-management training (DSMT) program uses a team approach to diabetes management where patients have access to endocrinology physicians, a diabetes nurse educator and dietitians in one-on-one settings. The self-management portion of the program helps patients understand their condition so they can make informed decisions as well as set short- and long-term goals and actively collaborate with their healthcare team to improve their health and quality of life.
“At Geisinger, we take diabetes care to the next level—we teach patients how to live with diabetes,” explains Ronald Harris, MD, endocrinologist at Geisinger Wyoming Valley. “By working with their doctor and the educator, patients learn how to manage their condition at home and maintain quality of life through positive lifestyle changes.”
To earn the ADA’s Education Recognition Certificate, the diabetes education program at Geisinger met the rigorous National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. Standards include employing a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide state-of-the-art information about diabetes management to patients. Education Recognition status is awarded for three years. Geisinger Medical Center in Danville has been an ADA-recognized program since 1987.
“In addition to the ADA Education Recognition Certificate for our patient training and education program, Geisinger also holds National Provider Recognition by ADA and National Committee for Quality Assurance,” comments Harris. “With both of these recognition programs to our credit, Geisinger patients can be confident they are getting the highest quality diabetes care available.”
According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 4,110 people are diagnosed with diabetes each day. 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, nerve disease or even amputation.
The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading non-profit health organization 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.
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