DOVER-FOXCROFT - The Diabetes and Nutrition Center at Mayo Regional Hospital has received a three-year certification from the American Diabetes Association for meeting the national standards for diabetes self-management education.
Receiving continuing recognition from the ADA that the program offers high-quality education services to its patients gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of the care they provide, said Judy Gerrish, RN, who is manager of Mayo’s Diabetes and Nutrition Center. The certification also helps consumers to identify quality programs, she added.
The ADA education recognition effort is a voluntary process that assures approved education programs have met the national standards. Programs that are so certified have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide the latest information about diabetes management for participants.
Gerrish said the Mayo program has been enhanced by the addition of Christine Kenerson, M.S., RD, who recently passed the examination to be certified as a Registered Dietitian. Kenerson, who graduated earlier this year from the University of Maine with a Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition, provides one-on-one nutrition counseling to diabetes patients.
Self-management education is an essential component of diabetes treatment. Participants in an ADA recognized program are taught self-care skills that promote better management of their diabetes treatment regimen. All approved programs cover the following topics, as needed: diabetes overview; stress and psychosocial adjustment; family involvement and social support; nutrition; exercise and activity; medications; monitoring and use of results; relationships among nutrition, exercise, medication and blood glucose levels; prevention, detection and treatment of acute and chronic complications; foot, skin and dental care; behavior change strategies, goal setting, risk factor reduction and problem solving; benefits, risks and management options for improving glucose control; preconception care, pregnancy and gestational diabetes; and use of health care systems and community resources.
Through the support of the health care team and increased knowledge and awareness of diabetes, patients can assume a major part of the responsibility for their diabetes management. Unnecessary hospital admissions and some of the acute and chronic complications of diabetes can be prevented through self-management education.
The Mayo Diabetes and Nutrition Center is open Monday through Friday in the Medical Office Building at Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft. For more information, contact the Center at 564-4416.