PITTSBURGH, August 21, 2006 — Congressman John P. Murtha will join administrators from Uniontown Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute (UPDI) on Tuesday, Aug. 22 to dedicate the newly opened Uniontown Hospital Diabetes Center, located at the Uniontown Medical Pavilion, 100 Woodlawn Ave., on the hospital’s campus.
The Center will hold an open house to commemorate the opening and dedication at 10 a.m. beginning with remarks from Congressman Murtha; Paul Bacharach, President/CEO of Uniontown Hospital; Linda M. Siminerio, Ph.D., executive director of UPDI; Nicole Johnson Baker, diabetes advocate and consultant to Saint Francis University’s Center for Excellence for Rural and Medically Under-Served Areas (CERMUSA); and Don Record, vice president of support services at Uniontown Hospital. A ribbon-cutting and tour of the new facility will follow.
“With over one million people affected and over 11,500 deaths each year, diabetes has become an epidemic in Pennsylvania,” Congressman Murtha said. “Working together, with leaders from Uniontown Hospital, the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute and other community partners, we will continue to fight to find a cure for this disease and improve the quality of life for those living with diabetes.”
The Uniontown Hospital Diabetes Center will take a comprehensive approach to managing diabetes, incorporating prevention, education, treatment and research initiatives. Some of the programs offered at the Center include:
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Individualized, one-on-one education for assessment of patient needs, insulin self administration and home blood-glucose monitoring.
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Group sessions for those who need information or help with meal planning, hypoglycemia, standards of care for diabetes management, foot care, blood-glucose monitoring and interpretation, the relationship of blood glucose to diet, exercise and medication, medications used for diabetes management, exercise and activity and the anatomy and physiology of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
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Support groups that will meet once a month, free of charge for those in the community.
Endocrinology services for those with diabetes, thyroid disorders, hormone imbalances and osteoporosis will be available through a board certified endocrinologist.
“Because of the support of Congressman Murtha and the partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute, those affected by diabetes in Fayette County can receive comprehensive diabetes care locally,” said Paul Bacharach, President/CEO at Uniontown Hospital. “With this new Center, we are striving to make diabetes management easier for our patients by providing them with education and services to help them live with the disease.”
“The diabetes epidemic creates challenges that require a comprehensive approach to prevention and treatment,” said Linda Siminerio, Ph.D., executive director of UPDI. “To be effective in the fight against diabetes, team work and partnerships are critical. The job is too big and complex to handle it alone. The Uniontown Hospital Diabetes Center is a prime example of how the collaboration of two entities such as the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute and Uniontown Hospital can build a bridge to bring the latest research, cutting-edge treatments and quality care to a community in need.”
Uniontown Hospital is part of the Pittsburgh Regional Initiative for Diabetes Education (PRIDE), a regional collaboration between western Pennsylvania community hospitals and the UPDI. The program uses a multifaceted approach to delivering diabetes care in primary-care settings and in the community. The PRIDE program redesigns care plans based on the chronic care model, a treatment framework that has been proven in clinical studies to significantly improve diabetes management, quality of life and knowledge and to stimulate genuine engagement among patients and members of the diabetes care team.
An estimated 8 percent, or 1.1 million, of Pennsylvanians have diabetes, according to the state Department of Health. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, end-stage kidney disease and non-traumatic amputation in Pennsylvania. In addition, diabetes accounts for $6.7 billion in total health care costs every year in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.
About the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute
The mission of the UPDI, in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is to provide and support diabetes prevention, detection, education, treatment and research. The UPDI unites experts in endocrinology, patient and physician education, epidemiology, clinical care, health economics, behavioral science and rural medicine. One of the country’s few programs focusing on the translation of diabetes research into practice, the UPDI is dedicated to delivering state-of-the-art treatments to everyone with diabetes, and to those at risk. For more information, visit the UPDI Web site at http://diabetesinstitute.upmc.com/.
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