Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems if it’s not controlled. It is estimated that more than 24 million Americans have diabetes; of those, about 6 million don’t know they have the disease, and another 57 million adults have what’s known as “pre-diabetes”. The good news is that behavioral and lifestyle factors can largely influence the development of pre-diabetes into type 2 diabetes.
Washington University Heart Care Institute in West County
A dietitian can help you establish a personal eating plan, address concerns about food allergies or intolerances, and help you manage chronic conditions. If you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic, it can be hard to know what to eat. The registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) at the Heart Care Institute in West County can help you create an eating plan that includes all the important nutrients to help you manage your condition.
Washington University employees enrolled in a WashU health plan can see a registered dietitian for a nutrition consultation with a physician’s referral. For an appointment with the dietitians at the Heart Care Institute in West County, call 314-996-3140. There are no visit limits, however your cost share will be assessed per your plan coverage. Additional details are available here.
United HealthCare Diabetes Disease Management Program
The Diabetes Disease Management program helps you manage the “ABCs” of diabetes: A1C (or blood sugar control), blood pressure, and cholesterol. The program provides wide ranging benefits that focus on medication, diet, and exercise tips to help you live a healthy life and get the best value from every dollar you’ll spend on care.
You will receiving coaching by experienced diabetes nurses who can help answer your health questions, find ways to reduce risk factors, and who may be able to help you save on out-of-pocket health expenses. The nurses can also connect you with quality doctors and hospitals.
A registered nurse will call you if your medical condition qualifies you for this free of charge program. If you have questions about this program, contact Onsite Nurse Advocate Teresa Fisher, RN BSN, at teresa.fisher@uhc.com or 314-440-3882, and learn more about the program here.