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Diabetes Care and Education

Why choose Ochsner Health for your diabetes care?

You don’t have to face diabetes alone. The experienced team at Ochsner offers the tools and support you need to:

  • Manage your diabetes
  • Reduce the risk of complications
  • Improve your quality of life

Talk with your Ochsner-affiliated primary care provider about scheduling a visit with our Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.

Whether you are newly diagnosed or have lived with diabetes for many years, Diabetes Care and Education Center can help you take control.

We offer important information and expert care on the four key ways diabetes is managed:

  1. Healthy eating
  2. Medication
  3. Physical activity
  4. Self-monitoring

The challenge of having diabetes can feel overwhelming. But with the help of our dedicated specialists, valuable education and quality services, you will have the support you need to manage your diabetes with confidence.



American Diabetes Association Logo

The Ochsner Diabetes Management Program has been Recognized by the American Diabetes Association for Quality Self-Management Education and support.


Our Diabetes Care and Education program makes it convenient for adults ages 18 and older to live well and learn more about taking care of diabetes. Whatever your circumstances are, you will find group classes, individual appointments and virtual visits that can help you avoid health problems linked to uncontrolled diabetes. Diabetes Care and Education specialists at Ochsner are also registered nurses and registered dietitians who can help you:

  • Eat healthy and manage your weight
  • Find support for stress management and emotional distress
  • Increase physical activity in your daily life
  • Monitor blood sugar levels using technology
  • Prevent and/or manage diabetes-related complications
  • Review and understand diabetes medications and treatment plans
  • Set goals and solve problems with managing diabetes

Our experts will also help you to recognize and understand how healthy eating, activity level, medication routine and stress can influence your blood sugar levels and reduction in heart disease.

Ochsner Diabetes Care and Education opens the door to a wide circle of support, teamwork, tools and treatments aligned for your whole well-being. Diabetes experts collaborate with you and your doctors to target your health goals through every stage of life. If you have diabetes, we encourage you to see a diabetes educator at least once a year. Research shows that people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes get positive results when they stay current with advanced treatments and resources through annual visits. When your condition calls for additional expertise, we put you on the fast track to getting the help you need, including:

A referral to one of our Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists can be advantageous at several points in life. The most obvious time is initial diagnosis of diabetes, when you want to learn how to manage the condition. If you consistently miss your health goals and feel frustrated about it, we can help you learn how to improve results.

Life’s transitions can undermine your best efforts to manage diabetes. If your health changes, your medications change, or you have other challenges in life that are unrelated to diabetes, a diabetes care specialist can work with you to enhance your progress, adjust your management plan or overcome other obstacles that impact your ability to self-manage your diabetes.

If you have health complications such as kidney disease caused by diabetes, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists at Ochsner can connect you with the specialty care you need. We can also be an important resource to help pregnant women with diabetes avoid health risks for themselves and their babies. The same is true for pregnant women who develop temporary diabetes, known as gestational diabetes, which increases a woman’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Since diabetes care advances every day, our team is here to introduce you to new treatment options and recommended resources that are making a difference for people with diabetes. Many people with diabetes seek our guidance when they want to try new diabetes technology such as insulin pump therapy, smart insulin pens and continuous glucose monitoring devices.

With multiple Diabetes Care and Education locations spread throughout communities in Louisiana and Mississippi, Ochsner offers trusted expertise to help you manage and care for diabetes whenever you need extra support. As your healthcare partner, we are always evolving to improve access to care and make it easier for people with diabetes to maintain optimal health. Find a location near you.

FAQs

The clinical term for having uncontrolled blood sugar levels is diabetes mellitus. There are two main kinds of diabetes, including Type 1 and Type 2. If you have either type, this means your blood sugar is too high. Elevated blood sugar can lead to other health problems.

Scientists continue to uncover clues about the cause of diabetes. While sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition can lead to Type 2 diabetes, some people have a strong genetic predisposition for acquiring diabetes despite their healthy lifestyles. Research shows that Type 1 diabetes is associated with a person’s genetic traits. Some scientists think environmental factors such as viruses may also play a role in Type 1 diabetes.

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, your treatments will depend on the type of diabetes you have and the severity of your condition. Many patients with Type 2 diabetes keep their blood glucose levels in check by eating a healthy diet and exercising. Others need one or more prescription medications and may even need insulin injections to help control blood sugar. Their medication routines may change over time. People with Type 1 diabetes require insulin injections or other methods of insulin delivery. They may also supplement with diabetes medications to promote good health and prevent complications from high blood sugar.

Changes in eyesight, frequent urination, weight loss, increased thirst and hunger, excessive tiredness and blurred vision can be indications of diabetes. Diabetes is a lifelong condition, but it can be managed.

Type 1 diabetes is a rare autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Without insulin, your body loses its capacity to control blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1 diabetes. With Type 2 diabetes, the body may still make insulin, but it loses its ability to use it. For different reasons, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes both lead to high blood glucose.

You may be at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes if you’re overweight, lack physical activity, are over the age of 45, have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, or have ever been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

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Map of Ochsner-affiliated facilities that provide services related to Diabetes Care and Education

Diabetes Care and Education Locations

Ochsner 65 Plus – Lafreniere
7060 Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70003, LA 70003
  • Monday – Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner Lafayette General Orthopedic Hospital Medical Office Building
4212 West Congress St.
Lafayette, LA 70506
  • Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Friday: 8 a.m.-noon
Ochsner American Legion Hospital
1634 Elton Road
Jennings, LA 70546
  • : 10:15 p.m.-10:15 p.m.
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner 65 Plus – Bocage
7949 Jefferson Highway, Suite B
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
  • Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics
2390 West Congress St.
Lafayette, LA 70506
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner Lafayette General Diabetes & Wellness Clinic
4212 West Congress St.
Lafayette, LA 70506
  • Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Friday: 8 a.m.-noon
Ochsner Lafayette General Orthopedic Hospital
2810 Ambassador Caffery Parkway
Lafayette, LA 70506
  • : 10:15 p.m.-10:15 p.m.
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner 65 Plus - Covington
1581 North Highway 190
Covington, LA 70433
  • Monday – Friday: 7 a.m.-4:30 a.m.
Ochsner Community Health - Brees Family Center (Howell Blvd.)
7855 Howell Blvd., Suite 320
Baton Rouge, LA 70807
  • Monday–Thursday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner Community Health – Brees Family Center (Bullard Avenue)
5950 Bullard Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70128
  • Monday – Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner St. Martin Hospital
210 Champagne Blvd.
Breaux Bridge, LA 70517
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital
1310 West 7th St.
Kaplan, LA 70548
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center
1214 Coolidge St.
Lafayette, LA 70503
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner Medical Complex - The Grove
10310 The Grove Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70836
  • Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Saturday: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Hancock
149 Drinkwater Blvd. , 2nd Floor
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
  • Mon – Fri: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - East Mandeville
3235 East Causeway Approach
Mandeville, LA 70448
  • Monday – Friday: 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - St. Bernard
8050 West Judge Perez Drive
Chalmette, LA 70043
Ochsner Center for Primary Care and Wellness
1401 Jefferson Highway
New Orleans, LA 70121
  • Mon–Fri: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
  • Sat: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Denham Springs South
139 Veterans Blvd.
Denham Springs, LA 70726
  • Primary Care: Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Baptist Napoleon Medical Plaza
2820 Napoleon Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70115
  • Monday – Thursday: 6 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Friday: 6 a.m.-3 p.m.
  • Therapy & Wellness: Mon – Fri: 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - LaPlace Medical
735 West 5th St.
LaPlace, LA 70068
  • Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans
1514 Jefferson Highway
New Orleans, LA 70121
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner Health Center - West Bank
120 Ochsner Blvd.
Gretna, LA 70056
  • Mon–Fri: 6 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Central
11424 Sullivan Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70818
  • Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Belle Chasse
7772 Louisiana 23
Belle Chasse, LA 70037
  • Mon–Fri: 6 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Slidell
2750 East Gause Blvd.
Slidell, LA 70461
  • Monday – Friday: 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday: 7 a.m.-11 a.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Raceland
106 Cypress St.
Raceland, LA 70394
  • Monday – Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Lockport
1015 Crescent Ave.
Lockport, LA 70374
  • Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Prairieville
16220 Airline Highway
Prairieville, LA 70769
  • Primary Care: Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Covington
1000 Ochsner Blvd.
Covington, LA 70433
  • Mon–Fri: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Tangipahoa
41676 Veterans Ave.
Hammond, LA 70403
  • Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Denham Springs
30819 Hwy. 16
Denham Springs, LA 70726
  • Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Friday: 8 a.m.-noon
Ochsner Health Center - O'Neal
16777 Medical Center Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
  • Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Jefferson Place
8150 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
  • Monday–Friday: 7:40 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Driftwood
2120 Driftwood Blvd.
Kenner, LA 70065
  • Mon–Fri: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Sat: 8 a.m.-noon
Ochsner St. Anne Hospital
4608 Highway 1
Raceland, LA 70394
  • Open 24/7
Ochsner Health Center - Metairie
2005 Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70002
  • Mon: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Tues–Fri: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Sat: 8 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Ochsner Health Center - Kenner
200 West Esplanade Ave.
Kenner, LA 70065