The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s (CKHA) Diabetes Education Centre has recently launched new services with the goal of improving the standard of care for people living with diabetes in the municipality.
Caen Suni, vice-president of clinical programs and operations at the alliance, said making the upgrades is an important move for CKHA, as the percentage of people with diabetes in Chatham-Kent is above the provincial average, and there are still about 20,000 residents without a primary health-care professional.
“We have three physicians who have been part of this. We’ve created a program to address various aspects of health needs,” he said.
The new services provided through the centre include a monthly clinic for those patients who do not have a primary care provider, a gestational diabetes clinic, and an endocrinologist who is accepting patients under certain conditions.
Dr. Kamran Karatela will run the monthly clinic for patients with Type 2 diabetes, with complications, who don’t have a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
According to hospital officials, patients will be seen by a certified diabetes education registered nurse and/or a dietician and Karatela.
This aspect of the clinic will help patients address their diabetes needs and to provide patients with knowledge and skills for managing their condition effectively.
Dr. Simone Mendel will be available for consult with patients with gestational diabetes. Dieticians will also work collaboratively with Mendel and offer personalized nutritional counseling sessions to help patients develop healthy eating habits and assist with the initiation of insulin when needed.
And Dr. Ibrahim Treki will focus on patients with Type 1 diabetes. He is taking new patients under the following conditions:
- Type 1 diabetes adult and transitioning pediatric to adult;
- insulin pump therapy;
- diagnosis clarification;
- discharged patients from hospital who are experiencing unstable blood glucose patterns, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and/or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS);
- glucocorticoid induced hyperglycemia;
- uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes despite treatment; or
- diabetes in pregnancy and pre-conception counseling.
Patients who qualify for these services will be referred via their family physician, local walk-in clinics and through CKHA’s emergency department and ambulatory care department.
“These new physician-led services will be an invaluable asset to CKHA’s Diabetes Education Centre, contributing to our multidisciplinary approach to patient care and collaborating closely with our existing team of healthcare professionals,” Dr. Zeke Milkovic, CKHA’s acting chief of staff, said in a media release.
“CKHA is committed to providing comprehensive care to individuals living with diabetes,” Suni added. “These services will address various aspects of health for this chronic condition, ensuring that patients receive the necessary resources and support to handle and avoid complications associated with this disease.”
