Diabetes Care and Education

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:

• Endocrinology specialists
• Eye screenings
• Foot exams
• Internal medicine specialists
• Ochsner’s Digital Medicine program for patients with Type 2 diabetes
• Pharmacy assistance
• Social workers and RN care managers
• Support groups

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.

• Diabetes general information and tips
• Diabetes medications and monitoring blood glucose
• Diabetes diet and exercise
• Starting on an Insulin pump? Here Is What to Expect.
• Patient Questionnaire - Adult Diabetes Intake Questionnaire for New Patients
• The 3 to Beat in Diabetes: HgA1c, Blood Pressure and LDL Cholesterol
• Blood Sugar Record for Insulin Patients
• Blood Sugar Record for Non-insulin Patients
• Patient Responsibilities for Managing Diabetes
• Symptoms of Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)
• Diabetes Care Offered by Ochsner Pharmacy & Wellness

Can I prevent Diabetes? Type 2 Diabetes is preventable for people with prediabetes through lifestyle changes in food choices, physical activity, and stress management.

What is Prediabetes? Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Many adults have prediabetes; however, the majority of those who have prediabetes don’t know they have it. Having prediabetes can put you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.

What causes prediabetes? The exact cause of prediabetes is unknown; although, there are known risk factors, such as having a family history of type 2 diabetes, having certain medical conditions, or having a BMI that is categorized as having overweight or obesity.

How is prediabetes diagnosed? Prediabetes can be diagnosed through a blood test. Your physician can help determine what blood test is right for you and let you know what your results show.

Am I at risk of developing prediabetes? Take a risk-test to find out Take The Prediabetes Risk Test | Do I Have Prediabetes?

What are the signs and symptoms of prediabetes? Is prediabetes dangerous? Prediabetes often does not have any signs or symptoms, and many people don’t even know they have it. Prediabetes is not a life-threatening condition, but having it increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes along with other medical conditions like high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. Although not every patient with prediabetes will have these health problems or progress to type 2 diabetes, the risk can be reduced by participating in a National DPP lifestyle change program, which helps patients make long-term healthy lifestyle changes.

What is the National Diabetes Prevention Program? The National Diabetes Prevention Program change program was designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help people make more informed choices and make lasting changes in their lives. You will learn in a group setting to try new things, share your experiences with others, and build new habits supported by a certified lifestyle coach and a group of people with similar goals and challenges for lifestyle change. There will be opportunities to talk with your lifestyle coach and others participating in the program between the regularly scheduled weekly meetings.

What is Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (Medicare DPP)? The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (Medicare DPP) is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, backed by years of research and recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This lifestyle change program, covered by Medicare Part B, can help you make achievable lifestyle changes and cut your risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 70%.

1. Talk to your health care provider about prediabetes and how the National DPP or the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (Medicare DPP) can help you prevent type 2 diabetes.
2. Call or email us online for more information:
   1. Mauricio Rosas-Alvarez, RDN, LDN, CSOWM - Program Coordinator
   2. Email: mauricio.rosasalvarez@ochsner.org
   3. Call: 504-703-9048
3. Sign up for the National DPP/Medicare DPP and start making healthy changes. 

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.