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As
members of one of the largest medical groups in the Chattanooga area,
physicians in the Galen Medical Group are on the front lines fighting
the common diseases and ailments that confront their patients. They
see first hand the growing threat to health and longevity from
diabetes, one of the fastest growing health issues in America today.
“The Centers for Disease Control reports that the number of
diabetes cases diagnosed among adults has risen 40% since 1997,” says
Donna Neves, RN, director of Galen’s diabetes education program. “It
is a national problem, but one that significantly impacts the
Chattanooga area.”
Diabetes mellitus describes a group of diseases characterized by
high levels of glucose—or sugar—in the blood. Type 1 diabetes, or
insulin-dependent diabetes, usually appears in children and
adolescents. About 5 to 10 percent of all new cases of diabetes are
type 1. Type 2 diabetes is commonly called adult-onset diabetes, the
type that is most commonly diagnosed in the Chattanooga region.
“Adult-onset diabetes is the growing problem,” continues Donna
Neves. “As people age, too much weight, poor diets, too little
exercise and family history begin to catch up with them. At Galen our
doctors diagnose hundreds of new diabetes mellitus cases each year.
Unfortunately, there are thousands more out in the community who have
diabetes, perhaps in an early stage, who don’t yet know it.”
To combat the growing problem, Galen launched its diabetes
education program with Neves at the helm. She works with Galen
physicians to present a curriculum that helps patients treat and
control their disease. Neves starts new classes each month at the Galen
corporate office in Eastgate Town Center.
There are three treatment responses to diabetes—medicine, diet and
exercise. Says Neves, “We remind people that two-thirds of the
responsibility for treating diabetes rest with the diabetics
themselves. This is largely a self-medicated disease. Our classes
prepare patients to take control of their health. We give them tools
to improve their food choices, lose weight and stabilize their blood
glucose levels.”
Galen’s diabetes program helps patients understand how sugar is
produced and processed in the body, and the positive and negative
effects that come from food and exercise choices. Each member of the
class also receives a state of the art blood glucose monitor and
instruction on how to use it. Classes, which include a personal
discussion with a Galen doctor, also teach the importance of dental,
foot and skin care—important information for diabetics who, because of
varying levels of sugar in their blood, can have a difficult time
healing from simple wounds and infections.
“Every person with diabetes should attend a diabetes education
class,” stresses Neves, who adds that is the recommendation of the
American Diabetes Association and most medical associations. A
physician referral or pre-registration is required to participate in
the Galen class. Insurance usually pays most or all of the tuition
cost.
Register for a Diabetes Education Class.
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