Empowering Diabetes Patients Through Education

Adventist HealthCare’s Outpatient Diabetes Education Program is helping individuals effectively manage their diabetes. With over 100 monthly patient encounters, 60 classes held to date, and 93% participant satisfaction, the program offers a range of free services. These include monthly nutrition workshops and diabetes education classes (available in person and virtually), biweekly gestational diabetes (GDM) classes, a continuous glucose monitoring workshop, monthly “Living with Diabetes” support groups and individualized education sessions. 

The program continues to evolve to expand access to diabetes education and introduce new topics based on the needs of the community. Topics currently covered in the workshops and classes include healthy meal planning, foods that affect blood sugar, how to read nutrition labels, blood sugar monitoring, physical activity and insulin therapy. Through these educational initiatives, the program equips individuals and their caregivers with the skills to better manage diabetes.

Why We Did It

Diabetes continues to be a leading chronic condition affecting communities, with an estimated 12% of the United States population living with diabetes, according to the CDC. This condition affects people’s lives in many ways, requiring dietary changes, regular exercise and around-the-clock blood sugar monitoring. Whether newly diagnosed or living with diabetes, patients often face a lack of educational resources and ongoing support that compromise self-management. By offering the Diabetes Education Programs, Adventist Healthcare aims to close these gaps in care with accessible education and a supportive community.