Diabetes Care
Diabetes is a serious health condition that elevates blood sugar levels beyond healthy limits. It’s estimated that over 37 million Americans are diabetic—more than 11% of the population. Of those people, around 20% are undiagnosed and unaware they have the disease.1 Prediabetes is even more common. More than one in three Americans—around 96 million people—has prediabetes, and around 80% don’t know it.2 But with proper medical testing and healthy lifestyle choices, diabetes can often be managed or even prevented. The first step in prevention is understanding your risk. Take our free diabetes health risk assessment to learn more about your risk for diabetes.
Learning to Manage Your Diabetes
Living with diabetes poses unique challenges, but it doesn't have to stop you from enjoying a full life. With proper management and lifestyle consistency, many people diagnosed with diabetes are able to continue living healthy, active lives.
The Trios Health Diabetes Education program is accredited by the American Diabetes Association and follows the National Standards of Care for Diabetes.
Program Goals
The Trios Diabetes Education program is designed to help you:
- Prevent complications. There are many possible diabetes-related health complications. These complications can often be prevented, or significantly reduced, through proper blood glucose level management. Our program gives you the information and tools you need to expertly manage your diabetes.
- Improve and maintain quality of life. Our goal is to help you live a life free of diabetes-related complications. With proper self-management, you can enjoy a long, full, rewarding life.
- Minimize diabetes-related healthcare costs. Effective diabetes self-management costs much less than treatment for complications associated with poorly controlled diabetes.
Program Benefits
As a participant in the Trios Diabetes Education program, you will receive and work through a personalized education plan that may include any or all of the following based on your specific needs:
- Understanding your personal diabetes diagnosis, treatment course, and medications
- Nutrition education and customized meal planning
- Assistance with diabetes monitoring and control
- Routine A1C monitoring and progress tracking
- Development of an activity plan
- Diabetes foot screening
- Healthy coping skills and problem-solving
- Pre-conception and pregnancy care for existing diabetics
- Care during pregnancy for gestational diabetes.
- Different aspects of your personalized education program are offered in individual and class settings so that you can choose what works best for you
Expert Diabetes Education Team
The Trios Diabetes Education team includes:
- Certified Diabetes Educators
- Registered Dietitians
- Registered Nurses.
- Trios takes a multi-disciplinary, holistic approach to your diabetes care. We partner with your physician, pharmacist, and other healthcare experts as needed to ensure you receive the best possible care
The Trios Diabetes Education team empowers you to take control of your diabetes so you can enjoy your life.
Advanced Diabetes Care
In addition to our basic program curriculum, we also offer advanced services including:
- Certified diabetes insulin pump program
- Continuous glucose monitoring for personal and professional users
- Camp Trios, a fun and engaging experience that is held annually for children with type 1 diabetes
- Pediatric diabetes care.
- Insurance Coverage
The Trios Diabetes Education program is approved by Medicare and Medicaid, as well as by most private health insurance plans. Check with your insurance provider to learn about your coverage, and feel free to call us at 509.221.5442 with any questions.
What is Diabetes?
Normally when we eat something, our body releases insulin that allows our cells to absorb the sugar from our bloodstream. In a diabetic patient, the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or doesn’t respond to insulin correctly. This causes blood sugar levels to rise, which can lead to many health issues, including heart disease, kidney disease, vision loss, or stroke.
What are the different types of diabetes?
Type I diabetes occurs when the body stops producing insulin entirely. It is usually diagnosed early in childhood, though it can sometimes manifest in adults. While the disease is genetic and lasts one’s whole life, patients can manage their blood sugar levels using diet, lifestyle changes, and insulin injections.
Type II diabetes arises later in life, and is caused by a mix of factors, including genetics, weight, age, and diet. It occurs when cells stop responding to the insulin the body produces, causing blood sugar levels to rise. Type II diabetes is very common, and accounts for more than 90% of diabetes cases in the United States.3 Once this disease develops, you must manage it for the rest of your life. The good news is that it can be prevented in most patients. Eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight can help.
Gestational diabetes occurs only in females and results when pregnancy-related body changes affect the ability to make enough insulin. It typically goes away after birth but can increase the mother’s and the child’s risk for type 2 diabetes later in life.
Prediabetes is a related condition that precedes Type II diabetes. It occurs when blood sugar levels are elevated but aren’t yet high enough to qualify as diabetes. Prediabetes can be thought of as a “warning sign” – you may be at risk of developing diabetes, but there’s still time to change direction. With help from your doctor, you can adopt healthy lifestyle habits and avoid Type II diabetes entirely.
Do I have diabetes?
Certain symptoms can indicate diabetes or prediabetes. If you are experiencing unusual hunger or fatigue, blurry vision, tingling in the hands and feet, slow-healing sores, or increased urination (especially at night), you should talk to your provider immediately. However, diabetes and prediabetes often have no symptoms at all. This is why testing is so important.
What can I do to prevent diabetes?
The first step in preventing diabetes is knowing your risk. A simple blood sugar test can determine if you have diabetes or prediabetes, and your provider can help you understand your other risk factors, such as lifestyle and family history. With your provider’s assistance, you can form a plan of diet, exercise and medication (if needed) to keep your blood sugar at a healthy level.
Schedule a check-up with your provider and learn what you can do to stay healthy. To find a provider, visit our Find a Doctor tool or call 509.794.2117.
For more information on diabetes, visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes and www.diabetes.org.
References:
Trios Care Center at South Ridge - 6th Floor is a department of Trios Health. When you see a physician or receive services in a provider-based clinic, you are technically being treated in an outpatient department of the hospital rather than the physician’s office. Please refer to “Understanding your Healthcare Costs” to learn how your bill may be affected when seen by a provider in a provider-based clinic.
Understanding Your Healthcare Costs
Provider-Based Clinics - You may see a charge on your bill for the equipment, supplies, and services provided in one of our provider-based clinics.