Memorial Medical Center’s diabetes education program received a four-year accreditation from the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE).

AADE-accredited programs are recognized for offering quality, comprehensive diabetes education and care. The nonprofit hospital is one of only three healthcare facilities in central Illinois to earn accreditation.

The hospital’s diabetes education program, known as Memorial Diabetes Services, helps individuals successfully manage all aspects of their diabetes. The program covers topics such as healthy eating, exercise, medication education, coping skills, preventing long-term complications, problem solving, and monitoring glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.

“Anything we can do to help someone get their blood glucose under control helps not only them but benefits our society,” said Kathy Levin, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, who leads Memorial Medical Center’s program.

An estimated 26 million people in the United State have diabetes, and another 79 million are prediabetics, Levin said. By 2050, as many as one out of three people could have diabetes, she said.

Memorial Diabetes Services works with patients with diabetes or prediabetes who are newly diagnosed, have struggled with managing their diabetes or need a diabetes education update. Enrollment requires a physician referral.

The program offers a weekly class that meets for four sessions and one-on-one diabetes and nutrition education sessions. The goal is to provide patients with self-management skills to help them control their diabetes, Levin said.

For more information, call (217) 788-3948 or email diabetes@mhsil.com.