Chatham-Kent’s hospital is introducing new services to better support patients with diabetes.
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) said its Diabetes Education Centre is now offering three additional physicians-led services.
“We know that instances of diabetes in Chatham-Kent are higher than the provincial average. So having a stable, accessible service is really important,” said Caen Suni, CKHA’s vice president of clinical programs and operations. “These three streams and these three physicians are going to help with the continuity of care in our community and make sure that access is continuous for this group that’s going to need the care ongoing, each and every day.”
The services include a monthly clinic for patients with Type 2 diabetes, who do not have a primary care provider. Led by Dr. Kamran Karatela, the service will address the needs of diabetes patients and provide them with essential knowledge and skills for managing their condition effectively.
“We know that up to a quarter of our residents in Chatham-Kent don’t actually have a physician… so this is a key service for people suffering from that chronic illness,” said Suni.
Another service is the Gestational Diabetes Clinic, led by Dr. Simone Mendel. The clinic will serve patients with Gestational Diabetes by providing personalized nutritional counselling sessions to help patients develop healthy eating habits and assist with the initiation of insulin when needed.
Dr. Ibrahim Treki will lead the third service as an Endocrinologist. He is currently accepting patients with Type 1 diabetes, glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycemia, diabetes in pregnancy and pre-conception counselling, as well as for insulin pump therapy and diagnosis clarification.
Patients who qualify for one or more of these services will be referred through their family physician, local walk-in clinics, CKHA’s Emergency Department, and CKHA’s Ambulatory Care Department.
