Hospital receives national recognition by American Diabetes Association

Warwick — The St. Anthony Community Hospital Center for Diabetes Education recently received national recognition by the American Diabetes Association, the nation’s leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Recognized programs, such as the one offered at St. Anthony’s, meet the Association’s National Standards for excellence in diabetes education. Every year, diabetes kills 180,000 Americans. The disease dramatically increases the risk of heart attack and is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and amputations. The Center for Diabetes Education at St. Anthony Community Hospital offers a series of classes for all patients who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes or those who demonstrate poorly controlled diets. During group or individual sessions, the clinical instructors offer initial assessment, emotional support and will seek to help patients achieve a better understanding of the disease. They will show their patients how to live a normal and productive life with diabetes and how to control the disease through diet and exercise. An Advisory Committee, made up of physicians, dieticians, nurses and other health care professionals from the hospital, oversees and monitors all programs and services offered by the Center for Diabetes Education. “We are proud that our Center for Diabetes Education recently received national recognition by the American Diabetes Association and we are proud of the extraordinary qualifications of our Certified Diabetes Educators,” said Tom Brunelle, executive vice president of the Warwick Campus of Bon Secours Charity Health System. “We invite all those who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes or who have poorly controlled diets to take advantage of their services and expertise. The classes at our Center for Diabetes Education are important tools in our commitment to the health and well being of everyone in our community.” Anyone interested in The Diabetes Outpatient Education Program may call 987-5168.