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October 2006
The Helwig Health and Diabetes CenterOur goal: To make living with diabetes easier for you and your family
Diabetes educator Mary Cipolle teaches George Bucci how to properly inject insulin.  A program of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, the Helwig Health and Diabetes Center was recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 50 hospitals for the treatment of hormonal disorders, including diabetes. A diabetes diagnosis can be a tough one to hear. After all, it’s a serious chronic disease with potential major health implications. Diabetes, however, is one health problem you can learn to manage yourself. And through education and good medical supervision, you can learn to lead a healthy and active life. That’s where The Helwig Health and Diabetes Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network comes in. Our staff will help you learn how to manage your diabetes to help prevent complications of the disease and help you enjoy a healthy lifestyle. We serve to meet the health care needs of our community and are committed to providing education to patients, families and health care professionals about living well with diabetes. By offering many individual and small group classes, the Helwig staff goes beyond the basics to provide quality information to help you and your family manage diabetes successfully. The Helwig StaffOur staff of certified diabetes nurse educators and registered dietitians can help you learn new self-care skills in the areas of diet, exercise, medication administration, home blood sugar testing and prevention of diabetes complications. Our experts are available to answer any questions that may arise as you live with and manage diabetes. Diabetes-Education ClassesThe Helwig Health and Diabetes Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital provides small group education on a regular basis. We invite and encourage family members to take part in these education sessions. Some of our course offerings include:
Physician ReferralsA physician referral is required for all Helwig Health and Diabetes Center services. Our staff must complete an assessment of your needs before you can participate in diabetes education classes. If you need help finding a physician, please call 610-402-CARE or visit www.lvh.org. Your First VisitOur staff will contact you to schedule your first appointment. Unless there is an urgent need, new patients may be scheduled several weeks in advance. Appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday and occasionally on weekends. Sessions generally last one to two hours. You should follow your usual diet, medication and exercise habits before your first visit. If you monitor your blood sugar at home, it is important that you bring your blood glucose testing equipment and any blood-sugar records with you. Program FeesPlease ask our staff for current fees. Fees vary according to the type of services rendered. We encourage family members (or those who share in your care) to come with you to the sessions at no extra charge. Lehigh Valley Hospital’s patient accounting office will bill for services. Questions about bills should be directed to that office. Insurance InformationInsurance coverage for diabetes education varies, but most providers recognize the value of diabetes education. Please contact your insurance provider or benefits administrator for specific information about your coverage. Managed care plans require pre-authorization referrals from your physician to the insurance company. Ask your primary physician's office staff which referrals your plan requires. Note: We do not deny access to care due to inability to pay for services.
This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
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