November is National Diabetes Month. Diabetes is a serious disease that
affects the body’s ability to produce or respond properly to insulin,
a hormone that allows blood sugar to enter the cells of the body and be
used for energy. An estimated 16 million Americans have diabetes; it is
the sixth-leading cause of death by disease in the U.S. – and it
has no cure. It is the seventh-leading cause of death in Catawba County
according to the State of the County’s Health Report (SOTCH) provided
yearly by Catawba County Public Health.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is dedicated to improving
the quality of health care being provided to patients nationwide. NCQA
developed a Diabetes Recognition Program (DRP) to provide clinicians tools
and evidence-based measures to provide excellent care to their patients
with diabetes. Those who achieve DRP Recognition show their peers, patients
and others in the Diabetes community that they are part of an elite group
that is publicly recognized for their skill in providing the highest-level
diabetes care. Shital Patel, M.D. of Catawba Valley Family Care in Newton,
NC is one of the many practitioners in the Catawba Valley Medical Group
network of physicians who has achieved NCQA Diabetes Recognition.
Dr. Patel says, “If you have diabetes, your body has problems converting
the food you eat into energy. The danger of this lies in the fact that
if untreated, diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and
blood vessels. Therefore, whenever present, it’s essential to diagnose,
monitor and treat diabetes correctly.”
As the practice of diabetes care evolves, the physicians and programs offered
by CVMC are excellent resources to help you learn to monitor and educate
yourself about the best way to reduce the risk of diabetes complications.
Catawba Valley Medical Group has16 family medicine physicians with NCQA
certifications in its network of providers ready to help you stay educated
about diabetes and master the skills necessary to control your blood glucose
levels to keep them as close to the normal range as possible.CVMC offers
numerous resources to help you learn more about types of diabetes, complications,
screenings and treatments for managing diabetes:
–
CVMC Health Library Online – access this area of the CVMC website for a wealth of information
about diabetes prevention and treatment.
– Diabetes Education Seminars – CVMC Health First Center offers
a regular series of seminars to educate the community about diabetes.
Attend the November Diabetes Education Seminar to learn how to track your
blood sugar numbers, plan healthy meals, and cope with diabetes. Held
at the CVMC Center for Diabetes Control located at 810 Fairgrove Church
Rd Hickory, NC 28602, sessions are scheduled for at 9am and 6pm on Nov.
6 and 9am on Nov. 13. Offered for diabetes patients and caregivers –
participants must have a physician referral. For more information, email
CVMCEvents@cvmc.us or call 828/326-3442.
– Schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel at Catawba Valley Family
Care located at 105 B South Main Ave. in Newton by calling 828-464-7770.
For the complete list of Catawba Valley Medical Group physicians, please
visit CVMG Online