Treating More Than Just the Disease
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Diabetes affects close to 16 million Americans, and over 5 million of these Americans are unaware that they have the disease.

Left uncontrolled, diabetes can adversely affect multiple organ systems, causing serious complications of the cardiovascular system, eyes, kidneys and nerves. But simply prescribing the correct dose of insulin, oral agents, or correct meal plans may not be enough to achieve adequate metabolic control or to prevent medical crises.

With approximately 2,200 people being diagnosed each day, severe knowledge deficits in diabetic self-management skills such as medication administration, glucose testing, diet, sick day guidelines, and foot care pose a significant problem for many adults and children with diabetes. Patient hospitalizations for uncontrolled diabetes may be attributed to deficiencies in diabetes knowledge and self-management skills.

Self-management education provides diabetics with the knowledge and skills that are needed to perform self-care, manage crises, and make lifestyle changes. It aims to enable the patient to become knowledgeable and active in his or her own diabetes care.

To help meet self-management educational needs, the new Diabetes Center at Doctors Hospital, located at 9323 Garland Road, Suite 306, was formed to help the quality of life for people with diabetes while offering interactive support between families and staff members. The Center serves as an available resource to help those with diabetes monitor changes in lifestyle, weight, and schedules that can impact glucose control.

Patients are encouraged to interface with the health care team spearheaded by medical director, Carlos Arauz-Pacheco, M.D., Endocrinologist, and supported by a registered nurse (who is a certified diabetic educator), as well as licensed dieticians. Dieticians work with each individual to devise meal management plans while other staff members teach patients how to test and record blood sugar levels. The patient, together with their physician and the diabetes team, review recorded sugar levels to create a customized plan of care just for them.

The Diabetes Center invites attendees to bring a family member or friend to every individual or small group consultation session. These consultations cover:

• Meal Management
• Exercise
• Glucose Meter Training
• Initiation of Insulin Therapy
• Hypoglycemia
• Foot and Skin Care
• Sick Day Management
• Psycho-social Issues
• Problem Solving Skills
• Planning for Pregnancy
• Support Groups
• Diabetes Diagnostic Testing

The Center also serves mothers with gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes that occurs during some pregnancies, but usually disappears when the baby is born. The condition occurs when women are unable to generate sufficient insulin during pregnancy to meet increased hormone requirements, therefore causing blood sugar levels to elevate. Gestational diabetes may affect women who are overweight, older mothers, or have a family history of diabetes - particularly on their mother's side.

Healthcare costs and other expenses associated with diabetes treatment, including the costs of lost productivity, run $92 billion annually. Fortunately, with recent law changes made in Medicare and the passing of Senate Bill 163 by the Texas State Legislature, Medicare and insurance in Texas may cover costs of diabetes self-management.

For further information about The Diabetes Center at Doctors Hospital or the disease itself, please call (214) 324-9290.