Hendrick diabetes self-management program merits American Diabetes Association recognition

The prestigious American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) service was recently awarded to Hendrick Diabetes Self-Management Education Services. Recognition certification occurs every four years. Hendrick Health’s program was first recognized in 2002.The American Diabetes Association (ADA) believes that this service offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

“Having the ADA Education Recognition Program assures high-quality education with greater consistency for participants in order to assume self-management of diabetes with confidence and success,” said Michelle Hale,Certified Diabetes Education and Care Specialist at Hendrick Diabetes Center. “This is an effort to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions as well as acute and chronic complications of diabetes.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2020 National Diabetes Statistic Report, 34.2 million people or 10.5% of the population in the United States have diabetes. While an estimated 26.8 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 7.3 million people are not aware that they have the disease. Many will first learn that they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications – heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease and amputation.

DSMES services that achieve Recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide participants with comprehensive information about diabetes management. The Recognition is applied for voluntarily.

The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading non-profit health organization supporting diabetes research, advocacy and information for health professionals, people with diabetes and the public. Founded in 1940, the Association continues to support people affected by diabetes nationwide.