The Texas Diabetes Institute

Article submitted by Tricia Aleman, The Texas Diabetes Institute.
For more information they can be reached at 210-358-7100, or visit their website: www.texasdiabetesinstitute.com.

Diabetes is a major health care problem - affecting approximately 17 million adults and children is the United States (6% of the population), and 1.3 million in Texas (16% of the population). Each year, an estimated 800,000 new cases of Diabetes are diagnosed nationally. Alarmingly, our nation now spends more than $100 billion per year to treat diabetes, which is equal to the costs for treating both cancer and AIDS combined.

Current and ongoing studies are demonstrating that patients can become effective self-managers, if they have access to appropriate healthcare professionals and services. Through appropriated self-management, many of the devastating effects of diabetes can be halted, and in some cases reversed. Unfortunately, most individuals with diabetes do not seek, or have access to the self-management education and healthcare interventions that research has shown decreases the burden of diabetes.

The Texas Diabetes Institute (TDI) of the University Health System in Bexar County, Texas, was created to assist communities throughout South Texas and beyond with healthcare issues associated with diabetes. TDI's Self-Management Training program is designed to provide state-of-the-art information, skills and tools to individuals and families with diabetes. Since the individual with diabetes controls 99% of the care associated with their condition, placing them as the team captain of the treatment team is of utmost importance. Other members of the healthcare team include physicians, diabetes educators, dietitians and social workers.

For individuals who have chosen education and self-management as part of their treatment plan, this formal team approach has accomplished substantial measurable lifestyle changes. This program empowers individuals to be come effective self-managers and to make healthier lifestyle choices in their everyday life experiences. We designed this program to improve the lives of those affected with diabetes and to assist in achieving victory over this chronic condition in our communities.