CSH Chronic Illness Management Program Earns National Recognition
Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) announced recently that their Chronic Illness Management Program (CIMP) has been accredited by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) through their Education Recognition Program (ERP). The ADA’s ERP certificate assures that educational services meet the National Standards for diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES).
“DSMES is an essential part of managing diabetes and is as affective as diabetes medication. Therefore, all people with diabetes benefit from it,” said Barbara Eichorst, MS, RD, CDCES, the ADA’s vice president of health programs. “We applaud Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Chronic Illness Management Program for its commitment to providing value-based interventions such as DSMES, maximizing corresponding outcomes, and patient experience.”
The Chronic Illness Management Program at CSH – which was also just recognized by Becker’s Health Review as one of 36 hospitals and health systems with great diabetes programs – is very unique in that it offers a one-of-a-kind, inpatient and outpatient multidisciplinary approach to diabetes management for children and adolescents. Children with diabetes receive intensive medical care, psychotherapy, nutrition therapy and education, disease-specific education, PT, OT, recreation therapy and child life services. Families and caregivers are also encouraged to participate in care, including participating in experiential learning like cooking classes or trips into the community. These components help patients to improve their total mind, body, and spirit.
“We’re thrilled that the American Diabetes Association has recognized our Chronic Illness Management Program as the innovative and educational leader it is,” said Colin O’Reilly, DO, FAAP, FACOP, FCCM, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Children’s Specialized Hospital. “Participation in our program has resulted in consistent reductions in A1C and fructosamine, improvement in diabetes knowledge, enhanced access to diabetes care and other medical and therapy services, reduced hospital admissions, improved quality of life, and has demonstrated improvement in the psychological wellbeing of both our patients and their parents.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Diabetes Fact Sheet, there are over 38 million people, or 11.6%, of the U.S. population who have diabetes. While an estimated 29.7 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately 8.7 million people are not aware they have the disease. Each day, nearly 3,300 Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. Many will first learn they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications – heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease, or amputation. Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S. – in 2021, it contributed to 399,401 deaths. The ADA’s Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022 report confirms diabetes continues to be one of the nation’s most expensive chronic health care conditions with an estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes of $412.9 billion.
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