News

Beebe Medical Center Remembers Diabetes Alert Day

03/24/09

Beebe Medical Center, acknowledging March 24 as Diabetes Alert Day, takes the opportunity to remind the public of the importance of recognizing the signs of diabetes so that they can take action to prevent or delay many of the complications associated with the disease. Symptoms, which when taken individually can seem harmless, include: irritability and increased fatigue, excessive thirst and extreme hunger, frequent urination, blurry vision and unusual weight loss.

Diabetes is a leading cause of death and disability, and opens the doors for heart and vascular disease. Early detection and treatment, however, can make a difference. Diabetes is a disease diagnosed by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there are 23.6 million people in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, who have diabetes. While about 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, about 5.7 million more people do not know that they have the disease.
Beebe Medical Center advises people to get screened and to visit a physician immediately if a screening test indicates a high level of blood glucose.

Beebe Medical Center's Wound Care Services/Diabetes Management Department at the Beebe Long Neck Health Center at 32060 Long Neck Road offers educational and management services for people with diabetes, as well as outpatient wound care. Diabetes educational programs are offered three times each month for persons newly diagnosed and those who need a refresher course for managing their disease. An 8-hour diabetes self-management education series is presented as four, 2-hour classes, or as two, 4-hour classes on a rotating basis. Individual sessions are available if needed. All provide the ADA standard curriculum for healthy eating, increasing activity, monitoring blood glucose, taking medications, healthy coping, problem solving, and preventing complications. Programs also are offered in the Spanish language, and Certified Diabetes Educators teach all classes. The latest addition to the class series is a program called Diabetes Prevention, which is geared to those individuals who are borderline, or at high risk for developing diabetes. Please call for more information about this exciting new prevention tool. The department can be reached by calling (302) 947-2500.

Beebe Medical Center wound care nurses and certified diabetes educators also evaluate and provide wound care and diabetes education for persons who are hospitalized at Beebe Medical Center.

Beebe Medical Center also offers free, finger-stick, blood glucose screenings. They are available from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Wednesday at three locations. No appointments are necessary. The results of these screenings can indicate whether a patient needs to see a physician for evaluation for diabetes. They are not intended for diabetes management.

Beebe Lab Express: (302) 645-3568
Beebe Medical Center, 1st Floor,
424 Savannah Road, Lewes

Beebe Lab Express: (302) 645-3010 ext. 2444
The Beebe Health Campus, John J. Williams Highway (Route 24)
(Located just west of Route 1) Rehoboth Beach

Beebe Lab Express-Milton: (302) 684-8579
611 Federal Street, Suite 2, Milton


Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org