Diabetes Center at Sharon Regional Health System
Diabetes Center at Sharon Regional Health System

Diabetes Center
Diabetes: The specialized treatment team approach

Diabetes can be a very complex disease. Life-threatening complications range from heart disease, stroke and blindness to kidney disease, nerve disease and amputations. Continuing to set new standards in health care, Sharon Regional developed its Diabetes Center, which is located at 2395 Garden Way, Hermitage.

The Center offers individualized treatment programs and education for those with:

* Adult onset diabetes
* Juvenile diabetes
* Pregnancy-related diabetes
* Sharon Regional's specialized treatment team provides diabetics and their families with the following services:

- Diabetic education
- Insulin pump therapy
- Diabetic nutritional counseling
- Diabetic counseling through Sharon Regional's Behavioral Health Services

Diabetes Center staff earns specialized certification

Staff members of The Diabetes Center recently earned special certification in diabetes care. Lisa Bertolasio, RN, MS, coordinator of the Center, has earned continued certification from the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educations as a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE).

Certification renewal demonstrates that professionals previously certified have maintained a level of contemporary knowledge in diabetes education. The national board requires all CDEs to recertify every five years to maintain certification status. Achieving the CDE credential demonstrates to patients and employers that the health care professional has distinct and specialized knowledge, thereby promoting quality of care of patients with diabetes.

Jennifer Engelhardt, RN, a diabetic educator at the Center, earned certification for utilizing the MiniMed REAL-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring System for patients with diabetes. The new system allows individuals with diabetes to monitor their blood glucose instantly on a real-time basis, and is available for patients using an insulin pump.
Programs:

Diabetes Self-management Classes are offered at several convenient times:

* Evening series at the Diabetes Center
* Afternoon series at the Diabetes Center

Classes provide the person with diabetes an opportunity to learn about diabetes, how to monitor blood glucoses, meal planning, physical activity, goal setting to promote health, and how to prevent complications. A physician referral is required to attend.

Diabetes Education and Nutrition Counseling are now available at the Mercer Family Medicine Center.

For more information about Sharon Regional's Diabetes Center or specialized treatment team, please call 724-981-6551 or e-mail diabetescenter@srhs-pa.org

Sharon Regional Health System - 740 East State Street, Sharon, PA 16146 - Phone 724-983-3911

© 2008 Sharon Regional Health System
Comments: 0
Votes:39