Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Diabeticos Saludables

Imagine being hospitalized for a serious illness and being unable to communicate with nurses or doctors because you did not speak their language and could not read your own language. Add to that: having no insurance and no clue what the diagnosis meant. About 10 years ago, a Mexican immigrant was hospitalized at Memorial Hospital of South Bend (Ind.), part of Beacon Health System, for complications related to diabetes. After an experience that proved costly for hospital and patient, Leonora Battani, manager, language services, launched Diabeticos Saludables (Healthy Diabetics) to offer diabetes education to Latinos. The program quickly evolved to include case management. Participants receive free blood sugar meters and test strips and are required to report their readings. Case managers serve as interpreters and patient advocates, often accompanying their clients to doctor visits. The service is free, but participants must attend exercise classes twice per month. Program participation has increased from 26 patients in 2004 to 328 in 2011, and patients’ hemoglobin A1C levels have averaged two full points lower after one year of participation. In addition, only one participant was hospitalized due to diabetic complications in 2011, and none in 2010. The program is now available to all “medically underserved, hard-to-reach” diabetic patients.
For more information, contact Battani at lbattani@memorialsb.org.