DSMES Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support

Are you overwhelmed with managing your Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes? Our new Diabetes Self-Management Education & Support (DSMES) Program offers the diabetic patient a safe, judgment free environment to learn the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines for proper diabetes care. Our program is ADA accredited and led by our DSMES healthcare team at Scotland County Hospital in Memphis. Our goal is to help you understand diabetes, provide you with the tools needed to manage your health, and to answer your questions about diabetes.

The healthcare professionals managing the DSMES program offer diabetes education and support classes to our community and one-on-one diabetic management counseling. The services & education through the DSMES is covered by most insurances (Medicare for sure). The classes include diabetes pathophysiology, medications, diet, exercise, diabetes technology, and much more.

The purpose of DSMES is to give people with diabetes the knowledge, skills, and confidence to accept responsibility for their self-management. This includes collaborating with their healthcare team, making informed decisions, solving problems, developing personal goals and action plans, and coping with emotions and life stresses.

DSMES is a dynamic program in which people with diabetes gain knowledge, self-management skills, and support needed to make changes to better manage their diabetes through ever-changing life situations. It is an interactive, ongoing process engaging the person with diabetes, the caregiver or family, and the DSMES team, all while achieving health targets but also improving quality of life.

The program requires a referral from your Primary Care Provider (PCP). If you are interested in the DSMES program at Scotland County Hospital, please talk to your Primary Care Provider for a referral.