by Hank Clever, MD
Director, Community and Denominational Relations
SSM St. Joseph Health Center, SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, SSM St. Joseph Health Center–Wentzville
November is American Diabetes Month, and what better time than just as the holidays descend with their avalanche of sweets.
Patty Shelton is a diabetes nurse educator at SSM St. Joseph Health Center, and she works with patients and families on successfully managing the disease. “Diabetes can really cause some serious health issues because too much sugar circulating throughout the body via the blood supply can damage many different tissues and organs,” she says. “But diabetes is usually a manageable disease if the patient is persistent and attentive to what his or her body needs. I’ve lived with diabetes myself for 31 years, so I have first-hand knowledge of this.”
In fact, Patty oversees Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT), a series of three classes over a three- to four-month period, available with a doctor’s order and usually covered by insurance, that help people who have diabetes learn how to control their blood sugar.
In diabetes the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is not using insulin properly to effectively lower blood glucose levels. Thus, the glucose stays in the blood stream which can cause the damage. Therefore, the patient must learn to manage blood glucose levels by eating properly, exercising and sometimes taking medication.
“Blood glucose monitoring helps evaluate if the diet, exercise and medication are keeping blood glucose levels in the proper range,” Patty says. A lab test (Hemoglobin A1C) that is ordered by the doctor shows an average blood glucose over several weeks. If this level is within the proper range the risk for serious health issues is decreased.
“Because the pancreas is not producing the insulin needed for the body to intrinsically manage and control blood sugar, the patient has to take over that function,” Patty says. “Pa-tients who understand how to monitor their blood sugar levels properly and consistently tend to do better in controlling their disease.”
Another useful tool is Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). “We put patients in touch with a registered dietitian for one-on-one sessions to develop meal plans and make necessary behavioral changes regarding diet and exercise,” Patty says. This service is available with a doctor’s order.
These types of services aren’t just nice amenities – they’ve been proven to make a difference in patients’ health. Recent studies in the Archives of Internal Medicine show a definite link between patients who participate in educational programming and improved blood sugar levels. In one study, 222 diabetes patients with poorly controlled blood sugar were either enrolled in a DSMT program or given less-intensive training. After three months, blood sugar levels had dropped twice as much among the DSMT group.
“The studies show that the approach works, and that this individualized, targeted type of program is effective,” Patty says. “There are a lot of helpful tips and suggestions presented, and we base the information on what current participants need most in terms of interventions. We just really want people to know that they’re not on their own in dealing with diabetes. There’s help, and it makes a difference.”
If you would like more information about the programs Patty oversees, give her a call at (636) 947-5573. A little information can go a long way in managing diabetes.
Hank Clever, MD, is a well-known pediatrician in the St. Charles community. Since retiring from private practice in 1998, Dr. Clever continues to speak to community groups and organizations about a variety of health-related topics. “The Doctor Is In” appears twice monthly in the Suburban Journals of St. Charles County.