The prestigious American Diabetes Association (ADA) Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program was recently awarded to the Silver Cross Diabetes Center. Silver Cross’ program was the first in Northern Illinois to be recognized by the ADA in June 1998. The ADA—the nation’s leading non-health organization supporting diabetes research, advocacy and information, believes that that Silver Cross’ program offers high-quality 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 subsequent years.
Find out what's happening in Lemontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Programs apply for Recognition voluntarily. Programs that achieve Recognition status have Programs that achieve Recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide the latest information about diabetes management. “The process gives professionals a standard by which to measure the quality of the services they provide,” commented Patsy Harris, APRN, CDE, BC-ADM, manager of the Silver Cross Diabetes Center. “And, of course, it helps consumers to identify these quality programs. Education Recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and awarded for four years.
Find out what's happening in Lemontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 25.8 million people or 8.5% of the population. While an estimated 18.8 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 7 million people are unaware they have the 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, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease and amputation. About 1.9 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people age 20 years or older in 2010 in the United States. Diabetes contributed to 231,404 deaths in 2007 making it the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Overall, the risk of death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people of similar age without diabetes.
“Self-management education is an essential component of diabetes treatment,” says Dr. Jose Penaherrera, medical director of the Silver Cross Diabetes Center. “Patients who participate in Silver Cross Hospital’s outpatient diabetes program are taught, as needed, self-care skills that will promote better management of his or her diabetes treatment regimen.”
At Silver Cross, patients learn about the diabetes disease process; nutritional management, physical activity; medications; monitoring, preventing, detecting and treating chronic complications through risk reduction; goal setting and problem solving; psychological adjustment; and preconception care, management during pregnancy and gestational management. Through this self-management education, some of the acute and chronic complications of diabetes may be prevented as well as unnecessary hospital admissions.
For more information about Silver Cross Hospital’s outpatient diabetes management program, call 815-300-5990 or visit www.silvercross.org.
About Silver Cross Hospital
Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for seven consecutive years and as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With over 3,000 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 289-bed acute care hospital and 5 satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. Silver Cross opened a state-of-the-art replacement hospital on February 26, 2012 at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox. In 2013, Silver Cross provided over $48 million in charity care and other community benefits. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit http://www.silvercross.org/ or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325).
