Category: Diabetes 101

Diabetic Care Takes a Road Less Traveled: What does a company that provides financial tools and online auctions to countries outside the U.S. have to do with diabetic testing supplies? Well, if your company “invests in technologies, communities and systems that facilitate trade, finance, communication and travel across international boundaries, cultures and languages” then you might be surprised what you can do for diabetics.

The company is known as One World Ventures, and a lengthy process of approvals for a subsidiary is finally allowing them to move beyond travel and financial tools to the world of diabetic testing supplies.

According to a press release issued recently One World Venture’s “manufacturing subsidiary Tutamen has applied for and received approval for exclusive distribution of the Eukare(R) blood glucose monitoring system in Mexico. The application for importation of the system was made with Mexico’s Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) and has been approved by the Mexican Secretariat of Health. The system is a critical part of the ongoing battle against Type II diabetes which has reached epidemic levels in Mexico. The Eukare(R) system is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved in the U.S. and ISO and CE compliant.”

The company anticipates that its established presence in Mexico, Central America and Africa could provide ample reason to succeed in places that are not well serviced. Company officials fully expect to see in excess of $2 million in first year sales.

The release further suggests, “With this approval, One World will create a medical devices division of the company that will focus on the manufacturing and delivery of medical devices to areas where there is opportunity to provide for the underserved. Presently, the major pharmaceutical conglomerates with a much higher cost structure are the primary providers of diabetes testing supplies in Mexico.”

Mexican officials indicate diabetes will be diagnosed in 40% more cases by 2012 leaving a significant need for testing supplies for personally managed care.

One World CEO Steve Prior said, “The Eukare System allows us to distribute a quality medical device in a more cost effective manner to people who desperately need the care. It has been an arduous process getting these approvals. We anticipate shipping into Mexico very soon now that we are complete.”

Tutamen, the subsidiary of One World that is manufacturing the blood glucose monitors is based in China. One World website data indicates, “Tutamen was a startup company established in Shenzhen China in 2003. Since that date Tutamen (HK) Ltd has established itself with a core of consistent clients managed by Tutamen (HK) Ltd. The Company has also established excellent technical and manufacturing partners throughout the region. Tutamen provides comprehensive consulting services to help companies achieve rapid, sustained success in China and the US.”

Time will tell if this new venture proves a success. It does appear that the company may have the connections needed to allow for the benefit of diabetics in less populated areas of Mexico and the business model may prove strong enough to allow growth into other worldwide markets. It is also possible that the growth of One World Ventures could encourage other manufactures to develop a larger distribution base in order to successfully compete.

In either case this development provides both short term as well as long term hope that managed care in diabetes can become more available on a global scale.

Revisiting Diabetic Supply Availability: With so many changes taking place in the arena of health care it can be difficult to keep up. However, one change is already under consideration for revision. One provision for Medicaid would need to be changed in order to protect underserved members of America’s rural heritage.

Betty lives in Iowa in a small town several miles from a chain pharmacy. She has always relied on the independent small town pharmacist to help her manage her medications. In fact, Betty and the pharmacist go to the same church, but certain provisions in how diabetic medical supplies are bid would make it virtually impossible for the small town pharmacist to continue to provide the supplies. Essentially Betty will have to travel 35 miles one way to buy her supplies.

This same story could be true in places like Alaska, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana and the state list just gets longer and longer.

A bill designed to provide the greatest savings may not have taken into account the real needs of all diabetic patients. According to DrugStoreNews.com two lawmakers are determined to do something about it. “Reps. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Mike Rogers, R-Mich, have introduced the Medicare Access to Diabetes Supplies Act, a bill that exempts small pharmacies from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ final competitive bidding program for Medicare Part B durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies.”

The struggle for small pharmacists is they do not have enough business to offer the sharp discounts a larger retail pharmacist can. If they could offer the same prices they would likely lose money on each sale. Since they don’t have the same buying power as larger retail counterparts they remain at a distinct disadvantage in how a price can be assigned by Medicaid services. The article from Drug Store News continues, “Small community pharmacies — currently classified by the Small Business Administration’s definition as having annual sales of $7 million dollars or less — would be able to maintain the pharmacist-senior patient relationship if this bill becomes law, since it would keep healthcare options for seniors who use DMEPOS, particularly those patients living in underserved areas.”

In a small community pharmacy in Kansas, Angie has been helping her neighbors understand drug interactions and drug benefits for years, yet she is faced with the disturbing possibility that her patrons may be required to use mail order or travel in order to get the same information and prescriptions from a larger and less familiar source. Bruce Roberts, NCPA (National Community Pharmacists Association) EVP and CEO agrees, “This legislation allows seniors to continue obtaining essential medical supplies like diabetes testing strips from their local community pharmacy. The current competitive bidding program favors larger healthcare providers at the expense of smaller ones like community pharmacies. As a result many seniors who get these supplies from community pharmacies could be forced to travel many miles or go through mail order without the face-to-face consultation that helps maximize health outcomes.”

If Welch and Rogers are successful in their Medicare Access to Diabetes Supplies Act it will likely mean a greater comfort level in the way diabetic supplies are acquired by those on Medicare and Medicaid. While we don’t supply a political call to action you are certainly welcome to contact your representative and let him or her know how you feel about the availability of diabetic supplies to all Americans.

Joslin Clinic: The Joslin Diabetes Center is part of the Joslin Clinic. The clinic was one of the first and most respected diabetes care centers in the world. They have spent billions of dollars on diabetes research The Joslin Diabetes Center is the only center in the world that has multiple focuses. They research diabetes causes and more treatments, they care for countless patients and they educate families on diabetes.

Joplin’s research team is dedicated solely to diabetes all over to word. They have more than 300 scientists at Joslin that are looking for ways to prevent, treat and cure both types of diabetes and the complications that come with them. Already they have taken steps to improve diabetes care throughout the world. They have recognized that tight blood glucose control can slow and even prevent diabetes complications. They have created treatments so that women who have diabetes can go to have safe pregnancies and deliver healthy babies. They have also managed to bring out laser surgery for diabetic eye disease. Joslin has been awarded recognition from some of the top diabetes associations such as the American Diabetes Association, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Joslin Clinic is the home of a program called JoslinCare. This program promotes lifelong health in those who have diabetes through medical care, patient education and the prevention and the management of complications. JoslinCare’s team is experts in all parts of diabetes including adult and pediatric diabetes. They can also help educate diabetics and their families on kidney disease, eye care, and mental issues and even help those who are pregnant. JoslinCare also offers support for kids and their families. They deal with children of all ages, from very young children and school age children to teens. This is a one of a kind program that is no where else.

Lastly Joslin Clinic host to the Joslin’s Strategic Initiatives Division. This division was created in 1998 and it focuses on improving the quality of diabetes care around the world by educating people. They offer Joslin’s professional education programs that reach nearly 35,000 physicians and other professionals every year. This program helps healthcare providers set a better standard of diabetes care for their communities. The Joslin’s Disease Management Program is just that. If offers tools to people to help reduce short and long term complications and increase the quality of life in a diabetic. It helps reduce patient times in hospitals and helps reduce lost time from work. This program reaches more physicians al over the world than any other one. Educating health care professionals and educating diabetics is the most important thing to the Joslin clinic.

Perhaps one of the best things about Joslin is that they work with your primary care physician. The team of experts that you work with through Joslin will be in touch with your physician to help you manage your diabetes. You will be going to appointments at Joslin, but in-between you will still see your doctor to keep your diabetes under control. Joslin works with every aspect of your life to help make sure that you live a long and comfortable, complications free life.

Diabetes Complication and Prevention Part 2: Just because diabetes is diagnosed it doesn’t mean that significant health issues that are complications of diabetes can’t be prevented. The center for Disease Control (CDC) offers another short list of complications due to diabetes along with a comprehensive look at prevention aids in managing your long-term health.

Other complications

• Uncontrolled diabetes often leads to biochemical imbalances that can cause acute life threatening events, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar (nonketotic) coma.
• People with diabetes are more susceptible to many other illnesses. Once they acquire these illnesses, they often have worse prognoses. For example, they are more likely to die with pneumonia or influenza than people who do not have diabetes.
• Persons with diabetes aged 60 years or older are 2–3 times more likely to report an inability to walk one-quarter of a mile, climb stairs, do housework, or use a mobility aid compared with persons without diabetes in the same age group.

Preventing diabetes complications

Diabetes can affect many parts of the body and can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and lower-limb amputations. Working together, people with diabetes, their support network, and their health care providers can reduce the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications by controlling the levels of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids, and by receiving other preventive care practices in a timely manner.

Glucose control

• Studies in the United States and abroad have found that improved glycemic control benefits people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In general, every percentage point drop in A1c blood test results (e.g., from 8.0% to 7.0%) can reduce the risk of microvascular complications (eye, kidney, and nerve diseases) by 40%.
• In patients with type 1 diabetes, intensive insulin therapy has long-term beneficial effects on the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Blood pressure control

• Blood pressure control reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart disease or stroke) among persons with diabetes by 33% to 50%, and the risk of microvascular complications (eye, kidney, and nerve diseases) by approximately 33%.
• In general, for every 10 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure, the risk for any complication related to diabetes is reduced by 12%.

Control of blood lipids

• Improved control of LDL cholesterol can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20% to 50%.

Preventive care practices for eyes, feet, and kidneys

• Detecting and treating diabetic eye disease with laser therapy can reduce the development of severe vision loss by an estimated 50% to 60%.
• Comprehensive foot care programs can reduce amputation rates by 45% to 85%.
• Detecting and treating early diabetic kidney disease by lowering blood pressure can reduce the decline in kidney function by 30% to 70%.
• Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are more effective in reducing the decline in kidney function than other blood pressure lowering drugs.
• In addition to lowering blood pressure, ARBs reduce proteinuria, a risk factor for developing kidney disease, by 35%, similar to the reduction achieved by ACE inhibitors.

By spending time with your primary care physician you may be able to develop ways to effectively monitor and adapt your personal lifestyle in an effort to avoid many of the long-term issues that can prove problematic to diabetics. The end result is a healthier lifestyle with an eye toward premier self-management.

Overweight Girls Can Become Diabetic in Adulthood: Girls who are overweight heading into adulthood run a greater risk of developing diabetes as an adult. According to a new study if those girls can lose the weight before becoming an adult they may be able to substantially reduce the potential risk of diabetes development.

According to a recent report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “The study was conducted by researchers at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Along with the NICHD, two other NIH institutes, the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provided funding for the analysis.

The study followed 109,172 female nurses from 1989 to 2005, noting how many developed diabetes during that time. An initial survey collected information about the women’s health, history and lifestyle habits. One question asked them to pick which of a series of diagrams best matched their body shape at ages 5, 10 and 20. The series of nine line drawings depicted female silhouettes of different sizes, ranging from gaunt (size 1) to obese (size 9). The nurses were also asked to provide their height and current weight and to estimate their weight when they were 18. Every two years after the initial survey, the women submitted follow-up information including whether they developed diabetes.

The findings were also released through the June 2010 online edition of Diabetes Care.

This long-running study, “found that the nurses who were overweight as girls were more likely to become diabetic as adults. Women who indicated that their size at age 5 matched or exceeded the size 6 figure were more than twice as likely to develop diabetes as those who recalled matching the size 2 figure. The women indicating the size 6 or above at age 10 were 2.57 times as likely to develop diabetes as adults. Those who reported a body mass index of more than 30 (considered obese) at age 18 were almost nine times more likely to develop diabetes than their normal-weight counterparts (BMI of 18–19).”

The statistics in this study suggest that managing weight prior to adulthood can be very important in decreasing the likelihood of diabetes. “In the study, the researchers also examined the combined effect of extra weight at various ages. Compared with women who were not overweight at key ages in childhood, adolescence and adulthood, those who indicated they were overweight at all three ages were 15 times more likely to develop diabetes. Conversely, women who recalled being overweight at age 10 but not overweight as adults were no more likely to become diabetic than their peers who had been normal-weight children.

“When the women entered the study, they averaged 34 years old. At that time, they were asked to recall their weight at age 18. The researchers found that women who gained weight after age 18 also increased their diabetes risk. Those who gained more than 25 pounds increased their diabetes risk more than 20 times. On the other hand, women who recalled being overweight or obese at age 18 and subsequently lost 10 pounds or more decreased their risk by more than half, compared with overweight or obese women who maintained that weight as an adult.”

While this may have ominous overtones for those girls who may be overweight the predominate feature of this report is that the potential effects of being overweight can be reversed, and the potential of diabetes limited, if the young girl and her guardians work to develop a plan for weight loss while the individual is still young.

Reality TV Does Much for Diabetic Awareness: Diabetic celebrities were recently celebrated as newsworthy. Both are musically inclined and both competed on national television for the honor of being selected as top contestant on their respective shows. One took first place while the other was runner up. Two lives, two separate shows, one common theme. Diabetes.

Bret Michaels, lead singer for Poison is a Type 1 diabetic. He struggled as a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice with his health and was ultimately admitted to the hospital for observation and treatment. Although weakened by his condition Michaels arrived as one of the final two contestants on the show. In the end he was selected as Donald Trump’s apprentice. His award? Michael’s was able to present his charity with $390,000. His charity? The American Diabetes Association (ADA).

According to the ADA Michael’s “chose the American Diabetes Association as his charity during this season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” The money that Bret has raised on the show will help support the American Diabetes Association, leading provider of diabetes camps.” This doesn’t take into account the platform Michael’s was able to use to bring awareness to the disease through national television.

Michael’s wasn’t the only musician vying for top spot in a reality television series. The second is also a musician who suffers from Type 1 diabetes. Her name is Crystal Bowersox and she sounds a bit like Janice Joplin. She was a crowd favorite on American Idol from day one, but in the end she was runner up. However, if history is any indication sometimes the runner up ultimately has a greater career than the winner. Only time will tell.

Bowersox struggle with Type 1 diabetes was honored at a church in her hometown of Elliston, Ohio. Trinity United Church of Christ in Elliston played host to weekly viewing’s of the cities favorite daughter. Ellison itself is said to have fewer than 20 homes, but by the time the season finale aired there were more people at the church than live in the town. The church developed special shirts in support of Bowersox and to date they have sold 4,000. Bowersox has also inspired the church to do more. They have provided support to local Diabetes Youth Services.

There aren’t many who have followed American Idol that aren’t aware of the fact that Bowersocks was a diabetic. Her talent, like Michael’s was strong enough to bring her to the top of list of competitors. Bowersox has publicly stated that she counts it a priority to use her new notoriety to help spread the news about diabetes.

Michael’s has been dealing with a brain hemorrhage and a “warning” stroke. He now plans to under heart surgery for a newly diagnosed hole in his heart.

In both instances of Celebrity Apprentice and American Idol two key contenders have done much to raise awareness of what has become a growing phenomenon. While there are fewer people who live with Type 1 diabetes the television shows have helped to demonstrate that the disease is something that an individual can both live with and still succeed in amazing ways.

By association the appearance of Bowersocks and Michaels has provided the opportunity for individuals to gain a greater awareness of Type 2 diabetes. The successes represented by these two artists should spark some encouragement in those who are diabetic. Yes, there are many things that need to be taken care of in health management, but life doesn’t have to end following a diagnosis of diabetes. Perhaps that’s the best message these artists have brought to the American public.

Diabetics and the New Aspirin Advice: There have been numerous reports and studies that have recommended low dose aspirin for those over the age of 40. New data finds at least three major health organizations revising their recommendations in some pretty significant ways. One of the organizations is the American Diabetes Association.

HealthDay recently reported, “According to a joint statement by the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the American College of Cardiology, only male diabetics over 50 and female diabetics over 60 who are at risk for a heart attack or stroke should be taking aspirin as a preventive.”

Dr. M. Sue Kirkman, senior vice president for medical affairs and community information at the ADA was quoted by HealthDay, “Previously, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommended aspirin to prevent heart attacks and stroke in most people with diabetes over the age of 40. However, more recent studies suggest that the benefits of aspirin are modest, and that aspirin likely would be best for people at very high risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Kirkman also said those at risk include, “Adults with diabetes at increased risk include most men over age 50, and women over age 60, who have one or more of the following additional major risk factors: smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol or a family history of premature cardiovascular diseases.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said, “People with diabetes are at three times the increased risk of cardiovascular events compared with people without diabetes. Among diabetics over 65, it’s estimated that 68 percent will die from heart disease and 16 percent from stroke.”

The long-term use of aspirin can lead to bleeding in the stomach and brain making it a little less advisable to use the product on a regular basis at the age of 40. In other words where once low dose aspirin was thought to be a perfect companion to good health it now appears it should be taken only in specific circumstances and perhaps on the advise of a primary care physician.

Dr. Michael Pignone, chief of the general medicine division and professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina adds a slightly different wrinkle to the story; “Taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart disease is reasonable for adults with diabetes who are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and not at increased risk for bleeding.” This is one of the very specific circumstances discussed in the last paragraph.

Pignone also said, “People with diabetes should talk to their physicians about their cardiovascular risk and what they should be doing to try to reduce it to a manageable level. This includes the decision about aspirin, but also blood pressure control, [cholesterol-lowering] statins, and smoking cessation.”

Due to the complexity of the needs of diabetics all factors should be considered. Kirkman advised, “For those at relatively low risk, the risks of aspirin probably outweigh the potential benefits. For those at high risk, aspirin should be encouraged. The strong recommendation to use aspirin in patients with a history of cardiovascular events still stands.”

While the experts still feel there is ample reason to invite diabetic patients to use aspirin there seems to be increasing factors that must be considered. This is in the patient’s best interest and is an ultimate determinate of better core health prospects. No one is saying that aspirin is bad, simply that the use of aspirin needs to be filtered through personal health objectives and risk factors known to your doctor.

Marvin Isley: In Memory: A driving force in R&B music recently passed away due to complications from diabetes. Bassist Marvin Isley from the Isley Brothers was only 56 and his life story provides a cautionary tale.

Isley was just 42 years old when both legs were removed due to diabetes. By that time Marvin had helped provide the bass signature that differentiated The Isley Brothers music from other R&B artists. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Isley Brothers in 1992, but it was with uncharacteristic regret that he spoke in an interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution in 2001.

In that interview Isley was quick to express regret that he allowed his diabetes to go so long without treatment. He indicated he had ignored the disease for years. “If I would have listened, if I would have understood diabetes like I understood music, maybe these things wouldn’t have happened,” said Isley.

Isley first suffered a stroke that led to the lack of use in his left hand and an end to his musical career. The effects of diabetes quickly claimed Isley’s legs. His wife Sheila remembers him as a man who always treated her work as more important than his own.

Marvin provided bass duties and background vocals from 1973-84 and again from 1991-97. It was 1997 when diabetes complications took both legs. Marvin was with the group during their most commercial successful years.

The cautionary tale of Marvin Isley’s life is too important to overlook. By all accounts Isley was an important figure in his band and perhaps in the overall scheme of American music to a greater or lesser degree, yet even after being diagnosed with diabetes in 1990 Isley apparently failed to follow a committed treatment plan for his health. By the time severe health issues conspired against him it was too late to continue with life as he had known it.

He lived with that regret for more than a dozen years.

Isley’s wife, Sheila, has nothing but wonderful things to say about Marvin, and rightfully so. His contributions to music and family are well noted, but again his most memorable regret reads, “If I would have understood diabetes like I understood music, maybe these things wouldn’t have happened.”

A site like this seeks to provide tools to eliminate this kind of regret. The information we provide can help you follow up with your primary care physician on treatment plans or new innovations that have provided meaningful assistance in diabetes management.

We seek to bring you the latest diabetic news, government health care information, and statistics. We also work to find great stories about diabetics who overcome tremendous obstacles to achieve incredible things.

Knowledge is power, and when it comes to diabetes we want you to be empowered. The more you know – the more you can affect the outcome of your disease. The more you read – the greater the sense of encouragement you will find.

We believe that no one should have to be isolated in their disease. We recognize that depression can be a component in diabetes (especially in Type 2 diabetics), but we will always attempt to use this space to provide the greatest wealth of diabetes information available. We welcome you back on a regular basis and encourage you to spend some time in our archives. There’s much to be discovered – right here.

Diabetes and Increased Cancer Risk: It has long been understood that Type 2 diabetes contributes to the potential for certain types of cancers. Recent findings suggest the increased risk may be higher than originally believed. The good news is there may be a way to reduce the risk of both diabetes and diabetes-influenced cancer.

According to EmaxHealth.com, “The German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in collaboration with researchers in Sweden and the United States, evaluated data from 125,126 Swedish citizens who had been in the hospital for problems related to type 2 diabetes.”

What they discovered was that there were two dozen different types of cancer that were more prevalent in those with Type 2 diabetes. The EmaxHealth.com article stated, “The comparison showed that people with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing 24 different types of cancer among those the epidemiologists explored. The greatest risks were for pancreatic cancer (sixfold increased risk) and liver cell cancer (4.25-fold risk). Cancers that posed more than twice the risk were those that affect the kidneys, thyroid, esophagus, small intestine, and the nervous system.

“A curious finding was that people with type 2 diabetes have a significantly lower rate of prostate cancer, which was especially obvious in patients who had a family history of the disease.”

A secondary report from EmaxHealth suggests, “Diabetes, primarily type 2, doubles the risk of liver, pancreatic, and endometrial cancer. It also increases the risk of colorectal, breast and bladder cancer by 20 to 50%.” Add to these findings the fact that individuals with Type 2 diabetes also have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

To reduce the risk of diabetes complications, heart issues, stroke and diabetes-influenced cancer people need to understand that exercise may be as close to a magic bullet as they will find. By reducing weight a diabetic can improve glucose control as well as decrease heart, stroke and certain cancer risks.

The report is clear that scientists are currently at a loss as to how to explain the link between diabetes and cancer risks. What they are aware of is the fact that when diabetes is in control multiple risks are reduced.

According to the American Diabetes Association(ADA), “The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest how much activity Americans should do. Keep in mind they are goals, not the place to start.

• People with pre-diabetes, diabetes, or the general adult public should aim for a minimum of 30 minutes most days. Walking, gardening, doing yard work, swimming, or cleaning house will all work to meet this goal. Anything that increases your heart rate and causes you to break a light sweat.
• Children and teens should aim for at least 60 minutes most days.

In addition, the Diabetes Prevention Program—a large study done in people with pre-diabetes—showed that 150 minutes of physical activity a week (30 minutes, five times a week) helped prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. In this study, people also lost 10 to 20 pounds by making changes in their eating habits.

Do these guidelines seem hard to fit in to your busy life? It’s not easy to find the time. You won’t go from zero to thirty or sixty (minutes), in a day or week. Take one step at a time. Slowly build up to your goal. (Source: ADA)

Following a season of stretching these are the most recommended categories of exercise.

• Aerobic Exercise
• Strength Training
• Flexibility Exercises

$15 Million Texas Experiment: The residents in one Dallas, Texas neighborhood are much more likely to die of diabetes than other neighborhoods in the same county. Poverty adds it’s own wrinkle, but one costly experiment seeks to discover if a prevention program can be developed to overcome daunting odds.

Baylor’s Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute opened the Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute, a health center that cost millions of dollars to develop. The city of Dallas chipped in $2 million as a health investment in this south Dallas neighborhood. Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert referred to the facility as a “passport to health”.

When you consider that direct and indirect costs associated with diabetes totals more than $12 billion in Texas each year you can see that a $2 million investment is perhaps conservative. However, if the program ultimately works it could spread in the Lone Star State and around the country.

According to the Dallas Morning News Baylor’s Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute, “Includes a full-time physician; a pharmacy with lower-priced medication; nutrition and healthy cooking classes; a farmer’s market with fresh fruits and vegetables; and exercise and weight training programs.

“Their experiment pits money and a comprehensive wellness program up against poverty and unhealthy lifestyles.”

According to the report Baylor believes that preventative care will ultimately be less expensive than emergency room care and they are hoping the data will ultimately confirm their initiative.

There’s actually a lot riding on the success or failure of this Texas-sized experiment. According to the Dallas Business Journal, “Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, representing the state’s 30th congressional district. [She] spoke at the event, where she emphasized on the significance of preventative health care, adding that with the new diabetes center, Dallas has positioned itself as a model to the rest of the country.” If the program fails then it contradicts many of the presuppositions in the new Health Care Reform Act.

How Bad Is It In The Neighborhood?

The average annual income in this targeted area is just over $14,000. Some make less than $10,000 a year. The result is very little regular physician care coupled a diet that relies on calorie rich, but inexpensive foods. The combination means obesity among the poor in this south Dallas neighborhood.

The initial idea for the facility was unveiled in 2006 and the Baylor board has indicated they have been solidly behind the experiment.

Because Baylor is a non-profit hospital they must spend 20% of revenue from patients on what is known as “community benefit”. Some may argue this is simply a way to spend that money, but Baylor claims a more thoughtful approach to this experimental facility.

Baylor CEO Joel Allison is quoted by the Dallas Morning News as saying, “Health care organizations need to expand their role in the community, and this initiative is one example. Hospitals have not traditionally been in the business of providing cooking classes, farmers markets, treadmills and computer labs. But this new model of care represents the future.

“We are now working to improve the health of a community beyond the walls of the hospital.”

Diabetic residents are already taking advantage of the new program and have expressed gratitude that the facility is geared toward their neighborhood.

And as many eyes watch the program plans are sure to follow for other facilities if this should prove successful.