One Brooklyn Health commits to diabetes prevention, treatment

With the commemoration of Diabetes Awareness Month in November, One Brooklyn Health (OBH) says it is fully committed to prevention and treatment of diabetes across the system.

The system boasts of four comprehensive programs in addressing the disease.

They are: Diabetes Self-Management, Diabetes Prevention, Chronic Disease Management and the Metabolic Learning Coalition.

Registered Nurse Alejandra Hopkins, program lead for the Diabetes Self-Management Program, told Caribbean Life that the evidence-based program, based on the Stanford Diabetes Self-Management Program, is offered on the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center campus in East Flatbush.

“The workshop is designed to help people with different chronic conditions to develop the skills needed in the day-to-day management of their conditions with a goal of maintaining and/or increasing life’s activities,” she said. “The Diabetes SM (Self-Management) module targets uncontrolled diabetics, and Chronic Disease SM module targets controlled diabetics and those with chronic disease issues.”

Hopkins said expected outcomes include supported self-managed behavior modification and coping strategies to enable participants to better manage their health condition(s), medications, and increase physical activity levels.

To learn more, please call 718-735-1900.

Jeanine Allen, OBH health coach and program lead, said the Diabetes Prevention Program at the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center campus started in 2017.

She said it is also an evidence-based program, recognized by the Centers’ for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designed for people who have or are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes.

“It is a comprehensive program focused on weight loss through exercise, healthy eating and behavior modification, Allen said.

She said expected outcomes include reduction and maintenance of individual weight loss by 5-7 percent of body weight, increased physical activity level to 150 minutes per week and to reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.

The Diabetes Prevention Program at the Brookdale Hospital Medical Center campus is an evidence-based program, recognized by the CDC, designed for people who have prediabetes or are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes, according to Helenica Yusuf, another Health Coach at One Brooklyn Health and program lead.

“It is a comprehensive program focused on weight loss through exercise, healthy eating and behavior modification,” she said, stating that expected outcomes include reduction and maintenance of individual weight loss by 5-7 percent of body weight, increased physical activity level to 150 minutes per week and to reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.

To learn more please call  718-240-5022.

Interfaith Medical Center has an established Chronic Disease Management Program including the management of Diabetes.

In addition to a Diabetes Clinic, there are two health coaches who provide coaching and support for people living with type 2 diabetes to develop and achieve their own self-care management goals: Shonique Broadus and Aracelis Cepeda.

Broadus and Cepeda, who are also program leads, said the Diabetes Program also offers a six-week Diabetes Self-Care Management (DSMP) education and support group.

“This group provides support to the individual participants to build their confidence in their ability to successfully manage their health, remain active and lead quality lives while living with diabetes,” they said.

“Participants have shown significant improvements in their health outcomes, by lowering and achieving greater control over their blood glucose levels, reducing their risk for complications of diabetes, becoming more active and physically fit as well as reducing other known conditions that can accompany diabetes, such as feelings of depression and/or anxiety,” Broadus and Cepeda added.

The Diabetes Self-Care Management program is offered in both English and Spanish.

If you are living with type 2 diabetes and interested in joining this program, please call 718-613-6889 or 718-613-6818.

Created by Endocrinologist, Dr. Kurt Kodroff, chief medical officer at OBH, the Metabolic Learning Coalition is an interdisciplinary group of medical professionals from across the OBH system, “who are committed to the overall treatment and greater understanding of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and enthusiastic about gaining new knowledge and sharing ideas,” according to OBH.

Dr. Kodroff said the coalition “augurs the interest of doctors, nurses, pharmD’s, nutritionists, health coaches and other staff members who come together to share the latest news, information and treatment options for advancing the care of patients with metabolic disease including diabetes.”

The Metabolic Learning Coalition meets monthly via a virtual link and is open to participants outside OBH system.