The Diabetes Center

At Ingalls

TThe Ingalls Outpatient Diabetes Management Center, located at Ingalls Family Care Center in Flossmoor, specializes in treating patients with Type 1, Type 2, gestational and pre-diabetes. Our team of certified diabetes educators includes registered dietitians and registered nurses who provide the latest in diabetes education and support.

Diabetes is a serious medical condition that affects 29 million people in America. Because this disease increases a person’s risk for other serious medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes must be carefully managed. The Ingalls Outpatient Diabetes Management Center provides comprehensive patient evaluation and treatment of diabetes and diabetes-related conditions, and works closely with your physician to help you control your blood glucose levels.

Helping you help yourself

The Center focuses on self-management skills including:

• Medication management
• Insulin administration
• Self-blood glucose monitoring
• Meal planning/weight management
• Exercise planning
• Pregnancy and diabetes management
• Insulin pump education and training
• Sensor training
• 72-hour continuous glucose monitoring

Controlling diabetes is a team effort. So at the Ingalls Outpatient Diabetes Management Center, we help coordinate the efforts of all your team members, starting with your personal physician.

Services are offered in individual or class sessions, depending on your insurance coverage. Medicare and most private insurances cover diabetes education. We also offer a competitive fee-for-service for those whose insurance does not cover diabetes education. A physician referral is required if billing your insurance. If you don’t have a doctor, call Ingalls Care Connection at 708.915.CARE (2273).

For more information or to schedule an appointment at the Ingalls Outpatient Diabetes Management Center, please call 708.915.8850.

Nationally recognized

The American Diabetes Association recognizes Ingalls Outpatient Diabetes Management Center for meeting the national standards for self-management education.

Signs of Diabetes

The signs and symptoms of diabetes are similar in the three main types of diabetes; the difference is in how the symptoms come on and at what stage in life diabetes mellitus symptoms develop.

• Type 1 diabetes tends to come on quickly, and the onset tends to be at a younger age, even presenting in childhood.
• Type 2 diabetes tends to come on slowly and can develop over a long period. Because of this gradual onset, early symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are often missed. In fact, one third of people with this type of diabetes are not even aware they have the disease. Ninety to 95% of all diabetes cases are from Type 2 diabetes.
• Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and though the signs of gestational diabetes are similar to the other types of diabetes, they will only occur in pregnant women and typically in the third trimester.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes can be easily overlooked because they are often subtle or develop over time. It is important to visit your doctor for an accurate diagnosis if any of these symptoms are noted:

1. Frequent urination. If you find that you are racing to the bathroom more often or need to get up in the middle of the night to go.
2. Increased thirst or feeling as if you cannot quench your thirst, regardless of how much you drink.
3. Weakness or fatigue that seems to last most of the day. Because your body is not using glucose properly, your cells are starved of energy, and you are left feeling run down.
4. A noticeable drop in weight without dieting. If your weight drops without a reasonable explanation, see your doctor.
5. Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet. This condition, known as neuropathy, occurs over time as high glucose levels begin to damage the nervous system.
6. Delayed healing of bruises or cuts or frequent infections should be brought to the attention of your doctor.
7. Changes in vision, especially blurred vision, can be an indication of diabetes.
8. Dry and itchy skin should also be noted.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes arise because the body is not able to properly deliver glucose to the cells of the body, keeping glucose levels elevated in your blood. Your doctor will be able to confirm if your blood glucose levels are too high and if you are at risk of or have diabetes. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the easier the disease is to treat, so do not delay if these symptoms are present.

Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Classes

Medicare covers 10 hours of education the first year you receive your referral and two hours of education every year thereafter. Medicare covers Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes. Medicare will cover the following patient services for Diabetes Self-Management Training:

• A total of 10 hours of initial training in 12 months from an ADA-recognized diabetes education center (all 10 hours must be completed within the 12 months from the time the patient started training).
• An additional two hours of follow-up training each year after the year the patient received initial training.

Private Insurance

Patients will receive the same type of education as listed above but on an individual basis.