Diabetes: Health 'Coaches' Will Help To Combat Rising Diabetes
Cases
Pennsylvania has a moderate rate of increase in diabetes
hospitalizations, accounting less than 1 per cent over the last
two years, however, diabetes is a serious problem in this
region. An amount of 8 per cent of adults of this state is
affected by diabetes, which is 1 per cent above the 7 per cent
people affected throughout the country. Moreover patients from
various counties in Western Pennsylvania have high rates of
end-stage kidney disease, one complication of diabetes.
The above mentioned situation alongwith the continuos growing
rate in diabetes hospitalizations which increased 9 per cent in
the past five years to 23,725 during 2004, make them create a
new health program to reduce health care costs through a
initiative of health coaches.
According to a study from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost
Containment Council, hospitalizations generated more than $673
million in hospital charges last year alone, although 40 per
cent of these are paid by health plans.
The main idea of this new iniciative is to lower the health care
costs associated with employees with diabetes and to keep them
out of the hospital, but on the job at same time.
This iniciative will start in January, and will provide "health
coaches" to 4,200 diabetic employees at 10 companies in the
region, under a program that will be launched by the Pittsburgh
Business Group on Health, a coalition that includes human
resources and benefits executives from 62 area companies.
In the new program, employees who volunteer to participate will
have counseling sessions with pharmacists about using diabetic
medications. Health coaches will check patients are getting the
tests needed to monitor their condition and are following
recommendations about diet and exercise.
Article written by Hector Milla editor of http://www.mydiabetessuppl
y.com, a website about diabetes testing supply, or you may
read their last article :: Diet for Gestational Diabetes :: at http://www.mydiabetessupply.com/1/diet-for-gestational
-diabetes.html. Thanks for using this diabetes article in
your website or ezine keeping a live link.