Diabetes Education/Management Center
The Diabetes Education/Management Center at Saint Francis Medical Center helps people with diabetes effectively manage their health. The Center is staffed with certified diabetes educators who provide classes, information and support to diabetics and their families through services such as:
Diabetes Self-management Training is an educational program designed to help patients and their families successfully manage diabetes. Diabetes Self- management Training is recognized by the American Diabetes Association® for meeting the National Standards for Diabetes Self-management Education. Information is provided and questions are answered on the following topics:
• Diabetes self-management
• Preventing diabetes complications
• Monitoring blood sugar
• Insulin and oral agents
• Nutrition overview and carbohydrate counting
• Coping with stress
• Family involvement
• Exercise
This class is approved by Medicare and covered by most insurance companies.
The Diabetes Self-management Training program is taught by a team of professionals that includes certified diabetes educators, an exercise specialist and a licensed social worker. This team, in conjunction with a medical advisor for the Diabetes Education and Management Center, works together to provide leading-edge medical knowledge to people with diabetes at any stage of life.
The Diabetes Support Group offers diabetes patients and their family members the opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other in a comfortable, group setting. Guest speakers also provide very useful information. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month from 2:30 to 4 pm.
For more information on Saint Francis' Diabetes Education and Management Center, call 573-331-5897 or 800-457-1720, or e-mail sfmc@sfmc.net.