Community Health Certified Diabetes Educators Teach Awareness, Self-Management By Jill Jesso-White on September 18, 2018 in Community Health News Diana Johnson Joins CHCRR Team of Certified Diabetes Educators Rutland, VT– In Vermont, diabetes has been identified as one of the four diseases (along with lung disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease) that results in more than half of the deaths in the state. Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region and a newly credentialed Certified Diabetes Educator are committed to helping address, prevent and manage the effects of diabetes and prediabetes in central Vermont. Diana Johnson, an RN and one of the 57 Certified Diabetes Educators in the state of Vermont, is a health professional who possesses the knowledge and experience to help those in the CHCRR community understand, prevent and manage how diabetes develops and how the multiple stages of the disease can be treated. Johnson recently received her certification from the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators, so we interviewed her about the program at CHCRR. What is a Certified Diabetes Educator? A Certified Diabetes Educator is a health care provider who is specialized and certified to teach people with diabetes how to manage their condition. Why did you decide to become a Certified Diabetes Educator? It hit close to home. Many of my family members have diabetes. Is preventing diabetes and diagnosing prediabetes part of your education program? The Vermont Department of Health says that in 2014, 27,000 Vermont adults had diagnosed prediabetes, but an additional 243,000 might have prediabetes and not know it. Is preventing diabetes and diagnosing prediabetes part of your education program? Yes, early detection and treatment can delay the onset of diabetes. Can diabetes be self-managed? Diabetes can be self-managed when the patient is given the knowledge to care for themselves. Our program at CHCRR provides that knowledge for patients so they understand their condition and their medications. Is dealing with depression part of your work? The CDC says people with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes and only 25%-50% of people with diabetes who suffer depression get diagnosed and treatment. Is dealing with depression part of your work? Dealing with diabetes can be overwhelming at times for the patient. All diabetes patients are screened for depression. How can a patient learn more about CHCRR’s diabetes education program? Call us or speak to your provider when you are in for your next checkup at CHCRR. Just ask and we can provide the details of our program. Diana Johnson Joins CHCRR Team of Certified Diabetes Educators CHCRR is central Vermont’s largest network of primary care, pediatric and dental services with offices in Rutland, Brandon, Castleton, West Pawlet and Shoreham. Community Dental offices are located in Rutland and Shoreham, CHCRR Pediatrics is in Rutland and CHCRR’s Express Care centers, open 7 days a week, are located at the Rutland and Castleton Community Health Centers. The mission of the Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region is to improve the health and wellness of all people in the communities we serve by providing access to excellent medical and dental primary care regardless of any financial consideration. Certified Diabetes Educator, Diabetes, Diabetes self-management
