MetroHealth and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center join forces to offer diabetes education

3/26/2010

CLEVELAND, OH – (March 25, 2010) – As an employer, Cuyahoga County recognizes the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of diabetic awareness and education. In a cooperative effort on behalf of the County, MetroHealth and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center are offering County employees who are diabetic or pre-diabetic, free Diabetes Education and Wellness programs at work sites in May. Invitations will be sent to employees the week of March 29 which explain how to register and the criteria that must be met.

The program, which is being launched as a “pilot” will serve approximately 150 employees at the Justice Center, Virgil E. Brown Building and the Jane Edna Hunter Building. Classes are conducted by MetroHealth and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center physicians, nurses, dietitians and diabetes educators with a focus on improving diabetes related outcomes, improving lifestyle and eating habits, and delay or prevent complications of diabetes such as heart disease and stroke, blindness, kidney disease, amputation and even death.

According to Jim Dustin, Principal, Employee Benefits International, the County’s benefits consultant, this is a win-win for the County and the employee. “By offering a diabetes education and wellness program, the County shows its commitment to the health and well being of the employee—this makes for a more productive and healthy environment because both are invested in the education and wellness aspects,” says Dustin.

There are about 24 million diabetics living with diabetes in the United States. It is estimated that more than 700,000 Ohioans have been diagnosed with diabetes and many more have the disease and don’t even know it. The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) encourages everyone to know their risk for type 2 diabetes and to take the risk test.