Andrea Graham, Registered Dietitian, Earns National Diabetes Certification FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The month of March is National Nutrition Month and the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE) announced that Andrea Graham, RDN, LDN, CDCES, achieved Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) status by successfully passing the Certification Examination for Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. Candidates must meet rigorous eligibility requirements to be able to take the examination. Achieving certification status demonstrates to people with diabetes that the health professional possesses distinct and specialized knowledge, thereby promoting quality of care for people with diabetes.
Many in the region may be unaware that Scotland County Hospital has a full-time Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Andrea has been with Scotland County Hospital & Clinics since April 2016. She is a 2008 graduate of Scotland County High School and a 2011 graduate of the University of Central Missouri with a BS in Dietetics and a minor in Food Science. She helps many patients make healthier eating choices and she now holds a national certification for diabetic education. As a CDCES, Andrea is now able to assist patients with initiating and understanding continuous glucose monitors at Memphis Medical Services (MMS). If you are interested in this service, please make an appointment with your Primary Care Provider (PCP) at MMS.
If you are overwhelmed with managing your Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes, Andrea is part of a new program at Scotland County Hospital. The 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. The program is ADA accredited and led by the DSMES healthcare team at Scotland County Hospital in Memphis. The goal is to help the diabetic patient understand diabetes, provide 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, including Medicare. The classes include diabetes pathophysiology, medications, diet, exercise, diabetes technology, and much more. Andrea has exceptional teaching and coaching skills to empower patients to feel confident to shop for groceries, read labels, prepare healthy meals and calculate the nutritional value of each serving, plus much, 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.
You do not have to be a patient with a PCP at Scotland County Hospital & Clinics to participate in the DSMES program. You can be a patient of any PCP from any facility/clinic. 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. Call Memphis Medical Services and talk to Tabitha, our Population Health Coordinator, at 660-465-2828, if you have questions. If you need dietary and nutritional counseling or medical nutrition therapy, ask your PCP for a referral to Andrea Graham, RDN, LDN, CDCES.