Supporting People Living with Diabetes: Texas Health Denton’s Diabetes & Nutrition Center is First in Denton County

For residents of Denton County living with diabetes, support is now close to home. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton is the first healthcare provider in Denton County to be accredited by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for its outpatient Diabetes & Nutrition Center. Operated by a multi-disciplinary team of diabetes educators, registered nurses, registered dietitians and physicians on the medical staff, the center’s goal is to assist patients in developing management skills to enhance their lifestyle.

Open to adult and pediatric patients across Denton County and surrounding areas, the center offers:

  • Group and individual counseling for type 1, type 2, gestational and pre-diabetes
  • Availability of a pediatric endocrinologist on the Texas Health Denton medical staff
  • Child-appropriate education for pediatric patients and parents
  • Instruction in insulin pump management, blood sugar monitoring and managing medications
  • Personalized nutrition counseling to fit different tastes and lifestyles
  • Education on how to detect and prevent diabetes-related complications
  • Exercise, stress management and behavioral education
  • Monthly support group meetings for patients and families

Support is important, and the professionals at the Diabetes & Nutrition Center want people living with diabetes to know that they are not alone. In fact, diabetes affects the health of 9.8 percent of the Texas population of Texas––approximately 2.6 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Diabetes is a chronic disease that impacts so many areas of a patient’s life,” says Karen Bruner, R.N., CDE, diabetes program manager at the Diabetes Education & Nutrition Center. “We are very excited to be able to provide this service for our community. With approximately 30 percent of our admissions here at Texas Health Denton having a diagnosis of diabetes, the need is rising for quality diabetes education. Now, our community has common educational classes and individualized services which will help our patients lead healthier lives.”

Comprehensive Education

The Diabetes & Nutrition Center provides comprehensive education based on the ADA’s national standards for diabetes self-management. The center collaborates with physicians on the medical staff, health care professionals and community representatives to empower patients to achieve good health and prevent complications by providing the knowledge and skills needed for successful diabetes management.

Patients receive education and support on a wide range of topics, including: learning to self-manage diabetes, pathophysiology, exercise, stress management, acute and chronic complications, behavioral changes, sick day management and reducing risk, as well as nutritional topics such as meal planning, carbohydrate counting, eating out, portion sizes, label reading and alcohol guidelines.

Empowering patients to self-manage their diabetes can help improve health outcomes for patients and reduce readmissions due to non-adherence to prescribed diabetes care plans. The program is offered on an individual or group basis, depending on the needs of the patient.

Tools for Success

New patients receive an initial assessment with a certified diabetes educator, where he or she is given a foot exam, a glucometer, and blood sugar monitoring guidelines, along with an assessment of educational needs. Patients then enter a class series offered in a group or one-on-one setting, in the afternoon or evening, covering a wide range of topics. Another consultation at class completion assesses results and sets goals to incorporate program elements into daily life.

“We use the strategies found most successful in evidence-based research to show patients how to make a difference in their daily lives,” says Timothy Harris, M.D., chief medical officer at Texas Health Denton. “There is so much for someone with this chronic condition to learn, and when they get the right information, it can really make a difference. Being the first location in Denton County to be ADA certified speaks to our devotion to Texas Health’s mission of improving the health of the people in the communities we serve. We are very proud of the dedicated nurses and caregivers who made this happen.”

The Diabetes & Nutrition Center at Texas Health Denton is part of a system-wide initiative by Texas Health Resources, which has implemented a Comprehensive Diabetes Care program across North Texas to improve the health of people with diabetes and control costs of this chronic disease that affects an ever-increasing number of Texans.

The Diabetes & Nutrition Center is located on the Texas Health Denton campus in Medical Office Building One, Suite 100. Physician referral to the Diabetes & Nutrition Center is required. For more information or to schedule an initial consultation, visit www.TexasHealth.org/diabetes, or call 940-323-7961.