2006 Community Benefit Annual Report

Providing the Resources

The highly skilled team at the Center for Diabetic Wellness at Provena Mercy Medical Center includes (pictured in the banner, left to right) Diane Swaney-Smith, Saride Alzein, Maria Aurora Diaz, Mirna Fernandez and Rita Smith.

Since opening its doors to the community, the Center for Diabetic Wellness at Provena Mercy Medical Center has helped numerous diabetes patients learn how control their condition.

Imagine knowing there are certain foods you should avoid, but not being sure where to turn for vital nutritional advice or a customized meal plan. Imagine having to measure your blood glucose levels, but not having the proper instruments or knowledge to conduct these important tests. Imagine needing diabetic care from a team of health providers, but without health insurance, you simply cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket for these services.

Enter the Center for Diabetic Wellness at Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora (PMMC), which provides much needed education and care, helping numerous area diabetics learn how to control their condition and responding to an identified need in the community. Recognized as a best practice and earning an Education Recognition Certificate by the American Diabetes Association during 2006, PMMC's Center for Diabetic Wellness serves those who might otherwise have gaps in their care.

"Treatment for diabetes involves managing every aspect of the disease," says Mary Rudnicki, Regional Director of Community Health Initiatives for the Provena Northern Illinois Region, which includes PMMC. "The condition affects the patient's entire lifestyle, from diet and the ability to perform physical activity to emotional health. Our goal is to empower our patients and help them understand that they control their diabetes - their diabetes does not control them."

A Community Needs Assessment, performed in 2004, revealed an ever-growing number of people who needed help managing their diabetes in Provena Mercy Medical Center's service area. Since the needs assessment further noted that many individuals with diabetes are underinsured or uninsured, PMMC officials knew providing low-cost services was essential. When the Center opened in 2005, its impact was immediate, and over 515 individuals have been served by the Center since.

"By offering evening hours and bilingual education, the Center is taking additional steps to address the health disparities that exist because of language barriers and a lack of insurance or financial means," Rudnicki says. "It's very exciting to be part of such a wonderful program that is leading people toward better health."

Some of the Center's services include education, screenings, and Center-based services designed to assist patients in understanding and managing their chronic disease. Individuals with diabetes are offered assistance in purchasing medications or blood glucose strips to monitor their condition.

The Center's diabetes resource team includes six full-time staff members and two part-time community outreach nurses. Along with a medical director, specialty physicians on staff include an endocrinologist, an ophthalmologist, and a pharmacist. In addition, a registered dietitian, nurse case manager and educator, certified diabetes educator, and clinical coordinator are also on hand to educate and equip patients to live well with diabetes. And with some studies indicating that as many as 43 percent of people with diabetes have been referred to a counselor after showing signs of depression, a key feature of the Center for Diabetic Wellness at Provena Mercy Medical Center is its counseling services, including a full-time counselor on staff for all participants.

Individuals who turn to the Center for Diabetic Wellness do so to learn the necessary skills to live healthily with diabetes. At a special graduation ceremony for those who complete the "Life with Diabetes" diabetes self-management education program, participants receive a bag of articles that will help them continue on in their diabetes management. Items include a rubber band to remind the participant to be flexible and a paper clip to "keep things together." After graduation, patients come back for one follow-up visit. Blood samples are collected to compare their pre-program results with their post-program results. Ninety to 95 percent of the Center's patients have had a significant decrease in their hemoglobin A1C levels.

"We take a team approach to educating our students, and graduation brings a sense of accomplishment for all involved in the process," says Maria Aurora Diaz, clinical coordinator of the Center for Diabetic Wellness. "My father was one of the first students in the program. Now he has his blood glucose levels under control for the first time in more than 20 years, and knowing we're helping people just like him to better their lives makes it all worthwhile."

Individuals who turn to The Center for Diabetic Wellness do so to learn the necessary skills to live healthily with diabetes.

"My hands are for holding the hands that need holding"

View Provena Mercy Medical Center's 2006  fact sheet (PDF).

Read the rest of the  Provena Health 2006 Community Benefit Annual Report .