You are not alone
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Whether you are living with diabetes, you’ve been newly diagnosed, with type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes, or are helping a loved one, the WhidbeyHealth Diabetes Care and Management team is here to help.
We have a variety of educational programs, resources, health tips, and food ideas to help you live your best life.
Getting on Track
Blood Glucose check
We are accredited by the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, which recognizes our comprehensive approach in meeting the needs of individuals living with diabetes.
Getting on Track
- Enhance the management of your diabetes by making healthy choices every day
- Improve the effectiveness of diabetes medications with increased activity and proper diet
- Enjoy the convenience of expert diabetes management, close to home
Individual appointments are available when new needs arise, such as:
- Changing blood glucose control
- Changing medications such as starting insulin
- Frequent episodes of low blood sugar
- You have concerns about your blood glucose
- Change in life circumstances
- Blinded or personal continuous glucose monitoring
- Insulin pump support
Why is diabetes education important
Instructors
Why is diabetes education important?
Although your doctor prescribes diabetes medications and monitors blood glucose control with lab work, your success with managing diabetes relies heavily on the choices you make daily.
Education and support can help you effectively manage your diabetes with its many challenges.
Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE), will work with you and your provider to create an individualized plan to successfully manage your diabetes and reduce risks for complications.
Diabetes Self-Management Education
Self Management
Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME)
Classes are recommended usually when you are first diagnosed.
Consisting of four two-hour classes, this program covers:
- The causes of diabetes
- Using glucose monitoring effectively
- Healthy eating and exercise management
- Understanding medications
- Healthy coping
- Preventing diabetes-related complications
- Selecting tools for your specific circumstances
Telephone support is provided at three, six and 12 months after completion of the program.
Individual appointments are available when new needs arise, such as:
- Changing blood glucose control
- Adding or considering the addition of insulin
- Frequent episodes of low blood sugar
We teach insulin self-adjustment when recommended by your physician.
Pre-Diabetes Class
Pre-Diabetes Classes
Pre-Diabetes Class
Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are between 100 and 125 mg/dl. Studies have shown that individuals with pre-diabetes have an increased risk for heart disease and developing Type 2 diabetes.
Healthy eating and exercise can prevent or significantly delay Type 2 diabetes and decrease risk for heart disease. The pre-diabetes class is designed to help individuals develop the lifestyle changes necessary to address these risks. We provide two, two-hour classes one month apart plus follow-up support by phone.
Insulin Pump Therapy
Insulin Pump
Insulin Pump Therapy
If you are using insulin injections with each meal, insulin pumps are another method for insulin delivery. Pumps infuse rapid-acting insulin through an infusion site that you change every three days. We provide support and management for three of the most popular pumps — Medtronic, Tandem and Omnipod.
Continuous Glucose Sensors
Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Continuous Glucose Sensors
Continuous glucose sensors help evaluate fluctuations in your blood glucose levels throughout the day and night by measuring interstitial glucose every few minutes and creating a graph of the measurements.
There are several types of continuous glucose monitors (CGM) with varying duration of the sensor up to 14 days and can be used with or without an insulin pump. Your provider can order a professional continuous CGM session or a personal monitor. A professional CGM is worn for 10 days and them reports are downloaded for your provider. A personal CGM sensor is changed every 7-14 days and used to adjust insulin. This adjustment goes beyond replacing finger-sticks. You should meet with a diabetes educator to learn more about the software, downloading reports and learning from your trends and arrows to effectively manage your diabetes.
Nutrition Therapy
Managing your diabetes with diet
Medical Nutrition Therapy(MNT)
In addition to diabetes classes, our Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator can provide Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), which involves individualized instruction on managing your diabetes with diet.
Carbohydrate counting is the main strategy used to educate clients on using food as a tool to manage diabetes. Medicare and most insurance will pay for MNT, minus your co-pay. A separate referral is needed. To learn more about MNT, call 360.321.7656, ext. 7688 (is you have a south end landline) or 360.678.7656 ext. 7688.
How Do I Begin?
How Do I Begin?
Ask your physician for a referral for diabetes education. Most insurance companies will cover diabetes instruction by recognized programs when:
- You are newly diagnosed with Type 1, Type 2, or Gestational Diabetes
- You have never had prior education on diabetes management
- There is a change in your diabetes management treatment plan
Once you are referred, Medicare covers an initial 10 hours of diabetic instruction and an additional two hours annually thereafter. They will also pay for three hours of Medical Nutrition Therapy in a calendar year plus two hours every following year.
Pre-diabetes classes are not covered by most health plans but are low cost.
Preventing Diabetes is a two-hour class held regularly at WhidbeyHealth Medical Center.
To find out more, call 360.678.7656 ext. 4210.
