The Center for Outpatient Diabetes Education

Our mission is to teach people who live with diabetes the skills needed for self-management of their disease. The American Diabetes Association recognizes this education service as meeting the national standards for diabetes self-management education.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the insulin produced is not used efficiently. There are three types of diabetes:

• Type 1 usually affects children and young adults; the body does not make insulin.
• Type 2 usually affects people who are overweight and sedentary; the body produces an inadequate amount of insulin, or the body does not use insulin correctly.
• Gestational diabetes is increased blood glucose during pregnancy. The risk of developing diabetes is increased later in life.

Our services and types of classes

• group diabetes classes held on weekdays
• group diabetes classes held on the weekends
• group diabetes classes held in the evening during the week
• group gestational diabetes classes held during the week
• one-on-one instruction also is offered on weekdays.

We have registered nurses and registered dietitians on staff who are responsible for coordinating all educational activities.

What does our program offer?

The Diabetes Education Program at DeKalb Medical offers many educational services for the management of your diabetes.

Your primary support person is encouraged to attend at no extra charge. Listed below are topics and services offered in the education program.

• Individual assessment of each client’s educational and nutritional needs.
• Individual meal planning.
• Foot screening.
• Blood pressure checks.
• Before meal blood glucose test.
• Each client will identify and set a goal to change a lifestyle behavior.
• Three-month follow-up after completion of individual sessions to review progress toward diabetes control.
• Communication with your referring physician on attendance and progress during the program.
• Free monthly diabetes support group.

What will I learn if I attend?

• The definition of diabetes.
• The different types of diabetes.
• The signs and symptoms of diabetes.
• How to prevent diabetes complications such as heart disease, nerve damage, kidney failure, blindness and amputations.
• How food affects blood glucose and diabetes.
• Proper meal planning.
• How to adjust meal planning to your lifestyle.
• How to make healthy choices when eating out.
• How to read food labels and count carbohydrates.
• How exercise affects blood glucose.
• How to better manage stress.
• Proper foot care.
• How to self-monitor blood glucose.
• Information about your diabetes medicines and insulin.
• How to better manage sick days.
• Goals you can set to improve personal health habits.
• Available community resources.
• How to put all this information together and learn to live with diabetes.

How do I enroll?

• Contact the Center for Outpatient Diabetes Education at DeKalb Medical to schedule appointments.
• Provide a written physician’s order for diabetes self-management education.
• Provide a copy of your recent A1c lab results prior to the initial visit or a physician’s order authorizing the program to draw A1c at the initial visit.
• Most insurance companies and Medicare will cover the cost of the class. Obtain preauthorization from your insurance company for diabetes self-management education. (Your physician’s office must process this request.)

Location(s)

• 2701 North Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30033 404-501-5398