Diabetes Education
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, gestational, or pre-diabetes, let our Diabetes Education team help you learn how to better manage your health and be more confident in your lifestyle choices. Spencer Hospital's instructors are approved and certified through the Iowa Department of Public Health and are recognized by the American Diabetes Association.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is the condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't produce enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should.
Diabetes Care Team
Healthcare providers trained to help you better understand and manage your diabetes include:
- Family Physician
- Registered Nurses
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists
- Registered Dietitians
- Wound Care Nurses
Accessing Care
If you are diagnosed with diabetes, your family physician may refer you to Diabetes Education services. Our professional services are covered by many insurance companies and also by Medicare and Medicaid. To reach our Diabetes Education Team, call (712) 264-8421 or e-mail Grp-DiabeticEducation@spencerhospital.org
Diabetes Self-Management Education
Spencer Hospital’s Diabetes Education and Self-Management Program is a comprehensive outpatient program that equips you to successfully manage diabetes. After getting a referral from your physician, a diabetes educator will schedule an individual initial assessment with you. After the initial assessment, the diabetes educator will help schedule you for three one-hour classes. These are either individual or group sessions.
Resources for Individuals with Diabetes & Caregivers
In addition to the education and resources our healthcare team offers, we encourage you to review these additional resources to learn more about diabetes management: