Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center – Diabetes Wellness Center

What is it?

Brookhaven’s Diabetes Wellness Center has two programs aimed at people living with diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes. The first, the Diabetes Self Management Education Program, is a physician- and insurance-based program that provides a tailored, personal support system with tools and resources that enable each individual to make better choices in nutrition, exercise, medication management and coping skills. Ten hours of education time are broken down into a one-hour consult, eight hours of class time and one hour of follow-up time a few months after class is completed. The second, the Community Wellness and Prevention Program and Initiative, includes Wellness Wednesdays (The Living Well Series), the Summer Community Family Wellness Series and Cultivating a Culture of Wellness in the Community. The different wellness and prevention series are still in their infancy, but the first program has been in action since 2008 and earned recognition by the American Diabetes Association in 2011 and 2015.

Who is it for?

The Diabetes Self Management Education Program is focused on people who have diabetes and those with a high risk of developing diabetes. The wellness and prevention programs offer additional support to people with diabetes but primarily target the community at large, including caregivers and family members of people with diabetes.

Why do they do it?

According to the American Diabetes Association, 29.1 million people, or 9.3 percent of the population in the United States, have diabetes. While an estimated 21 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 8.1 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Each day, approximately 4,657 people are diagnosed with diabetes. Also, statistics reveal that during 2008-2009, an estimated 18,436 people younger than 20 years in the United States were newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes annually, and 5,089 people younger than 20 years were newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes annually.

Impact

Participation and programming have steadily increased. In 2012 there were 30 participants in diabetes educational programs, in 2013 there were 43 and in 2014 there were 51. Sessions are also proliferating, from nine educational sessions in 2013 to 52 classes – including groups and clubs – in 2014. Outcomes in nutrition management increased from 16 percent in 2012-2013 to 71 percent in 2013-2014. Physical activity behavioral goals that were achieved improved from 33 percent in 2012-2013 to 100 percent in 2013-2014.

Contact: Mary Ann Sagritalo, BSN, RN, CDE
Diabetes Wellness Coordinator
Telephone: 631-687-4188
Email: msagritalo@bmhmc.org