Huron Expositor, 2009-12-30, Page 6Page 6 The Huron Expositor • December 30, 2009
News
LHIN project aims to improve care for diabetes patients
From Page l
A LHIN project called Partnerships
for Health is concentrating on im-
proving diabetes care across Ontario
and the Huron community Family
Health Team, the Community Care
Access' Centre and the Huron Perth
Healthcare Alliance diabetes educa-
tors have come together under the
project to determine how a team ap-
proach can help patients.
"This is unique to our LHIN and
we're working with how the care
partners work together. A number
of the teams are seeing successes,"
says Kelly Gillis, of the South West
LHIN.
Gillis says Clinton's Family Health
Team was one of the first involved in
the project in wave one with Seaforth
joining in the third wave.
Huron community FHT executive
director Barb Major McEwan says a
diabetes clinic day has been set up
for the patients of Dr. Jason Datema
so that a model of care can be created
that can be used for all local diabetes
patients.
"We want to be more proactive, be-
fore patients show up for an acute
care event when they feel unwell,"
she says.
Over the past four months, diabe-
tes patients have been invited to a
clinic where, during an hour and a
half visit, they go through a check
list of care, looking at issues like
blood sugar levels, blood pressure,
foot health, blood cholesterol, diet,
eye health, emotional health and
other factors surrounding diabetes.
Depending on how each patient is
doing, referrals can be made to the
FHT nurse, social worker, dietitian,
diabetes educator or other health-
care professional to deal with what-
ever issues have come up.
And, all of the results are recorded
on the patient's
electronic records
so that reminders
.... : %i•:i:::'r ..>. � 'vii^i:: ...
You are invited to attend these area churches
ST. THOMAS
ANGLICAN CHURCH
A Congregation of the
Parish of The Holy Spirit
Sunday January 3, 2010
"Happy New Year"
Epiphany Sunday
Worship at 9:30 am
Join us for King's Cake
Everyone Welcome
BETHEL BIBLE
CHURCH
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
519-527-0982
Sunday Worship 11 am
Pastor Mark Kennedy
Everyone Welcome
NORTHSIDE UNITED
Welcomes You
Sunday January 3rd 11:OOam
Minister Mary Fletcher
Serman: "The Magi Arrive"
Nursery & Sunday School
519-527-2635
www.cavannorthsideunited.ca
ST. JAMES ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH
WELCOMES YOU
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
519-345-2972
Sunday Mass 11 am
ST. PATRICK'S, DUBLIN
Saturday Mass 5 pm
Sunday Mass 9 am
FR. CHRIS GILLESPIE
EGMONDVILLE
UNITED CHURCH
Pastor Steve Hildebrand
Worship January 3rd 11 am
Adult & Youth
Sunday School 100 am
Elevator & Ear Buds Available
Come Worship with us
FIRST PRESBYTERIA CHURCH
59 Goderich St. W. Seaforth
519-527- 0170
Sunday January 3rd
Rev. Linda Moffatt
Organist -Susanna Lyman
ty&Ativkkd
Wishing you and yours
a blessed New Year
will show up posting regular dental
and eye and foot exams.
"We can put a reminder in the com-
puter system with the electronic re-
cord for the next appointment and
we can do searches for
which patients haven't
had some of the impor-
tant checks," says Ma-
jor-McEwan. "At this
point, some of the pa-
tients are not recorded
or haven't visited their
doctor in a while."
She says the clinics
will also help patients
set self-management
goals so that they feel
like partners in their
own care.
"It's important for
goals to be set around
diet, weight, exercise
and smoking and that
annual or quarterly
check-ups be done. The
the same goal and there's a lot more
reinforcement of the message to the
patient. It's a win-win situation for
all of us," says Devereaux.
She says that with follow-up from
nurse practitioners, so -
preach
be ore
s ow u 1
.cute
event w.
goals help a person to rec-
ognize they have
an important role
in their care," she
says.
Diabetes edu-
cator Lorraine
Devereaux says
the project is
bringing a team
of expertise to the
diabetes patient.
"Everyone is
working towards
FOSTER FAMILIES
NEEDED FOR SCHOOL
Huron -Perth AGED CHILDREN!
Cites Aki society
Help Children from Your Community
For Information CaII the Huron -Perth
Children's Aid Society
Huron County: Deanie Jardine at
519-524-7356 or 1-800-265-5198
Perth County: Vy Waller at
519-271-5290 or 1800-668-5094
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* ur local" Centre for Employment and Leaming.
Goderich 519-524-2515
Clinton 519-482-1700
Seaforth 519-527-0305
cial workers and dieti-
tians, it's much easier
for diabetes patients to
self -manage their con-
dition and takes some
of the weight off of the
two diabetes educators
employed for all of Hu-
ron and Perth Coun-
ties.
"We're happy to have
more professionals on
the team because there
.are only two of us," she
says.
Devereaux says that
diabetes is a very com-
plicated condition and
with the FHTs monitor-
ing patients' targets and
outcomes, there's a greater
chance for success.
"We're now looking at the big pic-
ture and able to monitor it electroni-
cally, keeping a close eye on the pa-
tient. Rather than waiting a year,
patients can be seen right away," she
says.
"It's better problem solving all the
way around," says Devereaux, add-
ing that the team of professionals is
trying to enhance but not duplicate
the care.
De� �ereaux says that Huron and
Pei t a Counties have higher numbers
of patients with diabetes than the
provincial average, which is about
seven per cent of the population.
"We're far beyond an epidemic,
which is three per cent of the popu-
lation. We're reaching seven per cent
and expect to be at 10 per cent by
2015," she says.
Lifestyle factors such as obesity,
fatty and sugary food choices and
lack of activity, along with a greater
number of people living longer are
leading to the higher levels of diabe-
tes.
"I know a doctor who likes to say
that we'll all develop diabetes if we
live long enough. It's the pancreas
not keeping up as we age," says De-
vereaux.
With 4,000 diabetes patients iden-
tified in Huron and Perth, Devereaux
says the region is lucky to have mm-
istry funding to . help determine how
to manage chronic disease better.
By Susan Hundertmark