GRANT TO HELP WITH DIABETES EDUCATION

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- A grant recently received by CMC Lincoln will enable the hospital to help patients in the hospital with diabetes.

Recently, the hospital received a $148,000 grant from The Duke
Endowment to development the inpatient diabetes management program.
The hospital currently provides a diabetes management program for
outpatients.

According to the American Diabetes Association, persons with diabetes
are hospitalized for reasons other than diabetes. However, data shows
that if their diabetes is poorly controlled, they have a greater likelihood of
experiencing complications while in the hospital.

Examples include infection, slower healing of wounds or surgical incisions,
longer hospital stays or even a greater risk of death.

The Duke Endowment grant will enable the hospital to hire licensed staff to
work with patients and their physicians on reducing the risk of diabetic
complications, decreasing the amount of time the patient needs to be in the
hospital, and helping patients better understand their disease and how to
manage it.

“The great thing about this program is that we can help patients have a
more successful hospital stay. We can also educate them about how to
live with Diabetes and lead healthier lives," said program director Gwen
McBee. "The goal is to stay away from the hospital, feel better and live
longer.”

According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 23.6 million
people in the United States, or 8% of the population, have diabetes. The
total prevalence of diabetes increased 13.5% from 2005-2007. Only 24%
of diabetes is undiagnosed, down from 30% in 2005 and from 50% ten
years ago.