Support for managing diabetes in Southeast Idaho
Whether you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes or have had diabetes for many years, the Portneuf Diabetes Education team offers personalized diabetes education along with lifestyle education to promote health. We offer a toolkit with information on how to prevent and/or significantly delay diabetes related complications. This information will allow you to take advantage of the latest diabetes technologies and proactively manage your diabetes. Take the mystery out of caring for diabetes with our outpatient diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition-therapy services.
Diabetes education and nutrition services
Whether you or the person you care about is newly diagnosed with diabetes, or has had diabetes for some time, questions, challenges, or a change in treatment plan may arise. Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily self-management. This includes making healthy food choices, staying physically active, monitoring blood sugar, and taking medications as prescribed. It is also important to talk regularly with your diabetes care team to problem solve, reduce risks for complications and cope with lifestyle changes.
Diabetes management involves many factors, and integrating those factors into the hustle and bustle of daily life can present challenges. You may find yourself asking:
- Am I taking my medication correctly?
- I know exercise is important, but how does this affect my blood sugar?
- What and when should I eat?
- What can I do to help prevent complications from diabetes?
Our program is designed to promote self-directed, self-management education for those with a diabetes diagnosis. Diabetes self-management training is a recognized part of your diabetes care by insurance providers. It is covered by Medicare and most health insurance plans when provided by a diabetes educator within an accredited diabetes education program. Make an appointment with our diabetes care team today by calling (208) 239-2070.
The Diabetes Education and Nutrition Services Clinic at Portneuf Medical Center
Our diabetes education team offers an outpatient diabetes education program that meets the national standards for diabetes self-management education and has received a Certificate of Recognition from the American Diabetes Association. Our program staff include certified diabetes care and education specialists, registered nurses, and registered dietitians who specialize in educating people with diabetes about their condition. We offer a wide variety of services to fit your needs and interests, including two separate but complementary services: diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy.
Diabetes self-management training
Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) offers patients the chance to receive personalized instruction by meeting one-on-one with a diabetes educator. During these sessions, patients develop a comprehensive diabetes treatment plan tailored to their specific needs, which includes meal planning, physical activity, medication management, blood sugar testing, and weight management. Additionally, patients set meaningful goals and create actionable plans to achieve them.
This comprehensive education program offers:
- Adjusting medications based on blood sugar testing
- Coping strategies for meeting the day-to-day challenges of having diabetes
- Current medication therapies
- Meal planning services
- Medical nutrition therapy
- New diabetes technologies and innovations
- Skills to prevent and/or delay the onset of diabetes-related complications
- Strategies for adding physical activity
Medical nutrition therapy
By meeting one-on-one with a registered dietitian trained in diabetes care, you can develop advanced meal-planning skills and create a personalized meal plan together. Additionally, you’ll learn how to coordinate your insulin plan with your meal plan based on pre-meal blood sugar results and the grams of carbohydrates you intend to eat.
Individual instruction
A provider may refer you for individual instruction to help with meal plan and medication adjustments using continuous glucose monitoring results. You can also receive ongoing support for insulin pump therapy. Your diabetes treatment plan will be reviewed and adjusted when disabilities or diabetes-related complications make diabetes care management more complex.
Ask your primary care provider for a referral to Portneuf Medical Center’s Diabetes Education and Nutrition Services Clinic. Upon referral, our educators will work closely with healthcare providers to develop a personalized diabetes treatment plan that’s right for you.
For more information about the Diabetes Education and Nutrition Services Clinic call 208-239-2070