“Education is key to understanding how to self-manage diabetes, stay healthy, and avoid any complications from diabetes down the road,” explains Beth Wrobel, HealthLinc CEO. “Diabetes is a journey, and our HealthLinc diabetes educators are here to partner with patients to make every step of the way manageable.”
The HealthLinc diabetes education program follows, the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) which provide guidelines for operating a DSMES program. By following these standards, accredited programs see improved clinical outcomes and quality of life, while reducing hospitalizations and healthcare costs. The guidelines are updated every five years and all programs that are recognized by AADE and ADA (American Diabetes Association) are required to meet these guidelines in order to bill for Medicare.
“Being able to say our program meets national standards puts a structure around the diabetes services we provide,” states Wrobel. “Accreditation, which is valid for four years, lets our patients and communities know they will receive the highest quality of health care and health education from us.”
Patients who have been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes are referred to the HealthLinc Diabetes Education Team for one-on-one diabetes education. With continued contact and support from the team, HealthLinc patients can have better control of their diabetes.
About HealthLinc
HealthLinc, Inc. (healthlincchc.org) is a not-for-profit Federally Qualified Health Center that provides primary medical, dental, optometry, and behavioral health services to people of all ages regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. In 1996, HealthLinc began as Hilltop Neighborhood House, a neighborhood clinic and childcare center in Valparaiso, IN. Since then, HealthLinc has expanded to eleven clinics, two telehealth clinics, and one mobile medical/dental clinic. HealthLinc accepts Medicare, Medicaid, Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), most commercial insurance plans, and provides care for uninsured patients. Services will be provided on a sliding fee scale based on household size and income, regardless of a patient’s insurance status.
For more information about HealthLinc, the HealthLinc diabetes education program, and how to become a HealthLinc patient, contact Trish Acton at tacton@healthlincchc.org.