Jamaica Hospital Medical Center now offers a free, innovative approach to treat patients at risk of developing diabetes. The Hospital’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and is aimed at managing the health of individuals with prediabetes, or borderline diabetes.
There are over 79 million people with prediabetes in the United States, a condition where a person has glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough yet to indicate diabetes. When individuals with prediabetes do not manage their condition, they are at a high risk of developing type two diabetes, a condition that is largely preventable.
By adopting this nationally recognized prevention program, Jamaica Hospital plans to reduce the diabetic population in South East Queens. The goal of the DPP is to help individuals reduce their risk of diabetes by moderately reducing weight and increasing physical activity.
Participants meet in a group setting on a weekly basis for 16 weeks. The weekly meetings are facilitated by “Lifestyle Coaches”, theses coaches are specially trained and certified Jamaica Hospital Patient Navigators with strong interpersonal and group facilitation skills. The Lifestyle Coaches review and provide feedback to each participant on a weekly basis. Each member of the group is expected to maintain weekly diet and exercise logs and get weighed at each session. The sessions are completely customizable to the individual needs of the group and are run in English and Spanish.
After the 16 week program is completed, participants continue to be monitored by a monthly maintenance program to provide on-going support and motivation to continue a healthy lifestyle.
The results of the Diabetes Prevention Program have been overwhelmingly positive. Half of the over 3,000 participants in the original NIH program met the weight loss goal of 7%. Participants who met the weight loss goal reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58%; adults over the age of 60 reduced their risk by 71%. One of the reasons that the program is so successful is the group dynamic. Through engaging and sharing experiences with others with the same condition, participants in the DPP learn to support each other and provide the necessary encouragement for success.
The program is open to all who meet the basic medical criteria including Medisys employees. For more information about eligibility or to sign up for the Diabetes Prevention Program, please call 718-206-7088.