Deaconess Health Closes Its Diabetes Centers

All three Deaconess Diabetes Centers have been closed, 14news reports.

The centers, which provided educational services, will instead be offered by the patients’ primary care provider, who has already been overseeing their diabetes care.

Patients enrolled with the centers received information about other local and online resources for diabetes prevention and education.

Deaconess Health System is one of the largest healthcare networks providing services to 51 counties in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. The system consists of 20 wholly owned, joint ventured, sponsored, or affiliated hospitals.

Over 37.3 million people, or 11.3% of the United States population, have diabetes, and the rates are rising. The condition occurs when the body is unable to create or effectively use its own insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas. Insulin helps regulate blood sugar levels providing energy to body cells and tissues.