Randolph Hospital’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program has been awarded continued recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Since the program was originally recognized in November 1999, the program has continuously offered high-quality education services to the patients it serves.

The ADA Education Recognition Program is a voluntary process that serves to promote quality education under the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs for individuals with diabetes.

Programs that achieve recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide state-of-the-art information about diabetes management for participants.

Compliance with the national standards ensures that there is greater consistency in the quality and quantity of education offered to people with diabetes. Participants in an ADA-recognized program are taught self-care skills that are essential in diabetes treatment.

Moreover, these skills help promote better management of each patient’s specific diabetes treatment. The approved education programs specialize in various areas that target specific needs in an individual’s diabetes treatment regimen.

Some of these areas include, but are not limited to, the following: diabetes diseases process, nutritional management, physical activity, medications, psychological adjustment and many more.

Through high-quality self-management education provided by the Education Recognition program, patients are able to serve a major part of the responsibility for their diabetes management.

Furthermore, the program provides health care professionals with a national standard by which to measure the quality of the services they provide.

Patients are offered three classes.

The first class assesses an individual’s education needs through a health habits questionnaire. Topics during the first class include the disease process of diabetes, preconception and an introduction to carbohydrates.

The second session discusses the emotional aspects of having diabetes as well as medications that can be used to manage diabetes.

The final session covers the benefits of physical activity and nutrition management. Patients learn the importance of making healthy food choices that focus on heart-healthy choices, carbohydrate limits and nutrition label reading. During this session, patients will develop an individualized meal plan.

In order to meet each patient’s needs, classes are from 9 a.m. to noon or from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Patients will return for follow-up visits at three months, six months, and 12 months, following their completion of the first three sessions.

To attend the diabetes program, participants must first receive a physician’s referral. Insurance coverage varies depending on individual plans.

For more information, contact the Randolph Hospital Diabetes Self-Management Program at (336) 625-9400.