| BMC Receives American Diabetes Association Certification |
| July 29, 2019 For Immediate Release BMC Diabetes Education Program Achieves American Diabetes Association Recognition The BMC Diabetes Self-Management Education Program has again received the prestigious American Diabetes Association (ADA) Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) service. According to the ADA, the BMC program “offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.” The Association’s Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational services meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. The standards were developed and tested under the auspices of the National Diabetes Advisory Board in 1983 and were revised by the diabetes community in 1994, 2000, 2007, 2012, and 2017. DSMES services like BMC’s apply for this recognition voluntarily. Services that achieve recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide participants with comprehensive information about diabetes management. “The process gives professionals national standard by which to measure the quality of services they provide,” said Candace Lusa, RN, CDE, Manager of the BMC Diabetes Education Program. “And, of course, it assures the consumer that he or she will likely receive high-quality service.” Education Recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and awarded to BMC for four years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Diabetes Statistic Report there are 30.3 million people or 9.4% of the population in the United States who have diabetes. While an estimated 23.1 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 7.2 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Each day more than 3,900 people are diagnosed with diabetes. Many will first learn that they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications – heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease, and amputation. About 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 18 years or older in 2015. Diabetes continues to be the seventh leading cause of death in the US in 2015 as it contributed to 252,806 deaths. The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading non-profit health organization supporting diabetes research, advocacy and information for health professionals, people with diabetes and the public. Founded in 1940, the Association continues to support people affected by diabetes nationwide. For more information on Recognized education services in your area or other American Diabetes Association programs, call the ADA office at 1.800. DIABETE (342-2383) or contact the ADA online at www.diabetes.org/erp |
© 2019 Berkshire Health Systems
725 North Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201