I read the letter from Dr. Haas about Providence Regional Medical Center, and could not agree more. (Nov. 6, “Laid-off workers already missed.”) I feel the hospital leadership is making some serious mistakes in setting priorities. I am assuming this may be partly due to being under-informed.
I was stunned to learn the hospital is axing the Providence Diabetes Education and Nutrition Program. Anyone who knows a thing about diabetes has got to question this decision. Diabetes is a progressive chronic disease afflicting over 25.8 million people in the United States, and growing. It is our seventh leading cause of death, and the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness and amputations in adults 65 and older. Studies have shown that medical costs are 2.3 times higher for those with diabetes — these are costs we all eventually bear as our insurance rates skyrocket.
While diabetes is serious, it is also controllable if one learns how to manage it. Lifestyle intervention can reduce the development of Type 2 diabetes by up to 71 percent. Enter the education component — doctors rely on Certified Diabetes Educators to provide this crucial service.
The staff at the Providence Diabetes Education and Nutrition Program are top-notch. They are highly trained, experienced and highly effective Certified Diabetes Educators who are not only a help to their patients but also are a reliable resource for the entire community. It is easy to target this program because it is a small department, but the work they do is huge, far-reaching and priceless.
Really, PRMC, what are you thinking?!
Susan Brand
Stanwood
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