MOULTRIE, Ga. – Colquitt Regional is leading the cause in helping prevent type 2 diabetes among its employees by implementing the CDC’s Prevent T2 lifestyle change program.
The hospital recently received preliminary recognition from the CDC for this program. This designation is reserved for organizations that are effectively delivering a quality, evidence-based program and have proven to be advancing toward CDC Full Recognition.
The program is led by Jimmy Bloodworth, Colquitt Regional director of corporate wellness, and Whitney Costin, director of patient experience, who are both CDC-certified coaches.
Developed to target those who are pre-diabetic, participants learn the skills they need to make lasting changes such as losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active, and managing stress.
People with prediabetes – those with higher-than-normal blood glucose (sugar) levels – are 5 to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal blood glucose levels. In fact, many people with prediabetes are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within five years.
“One in three American adults has prediabetes, so the need for prevention has never been greater,” said Colquitt Regional President and CEO Jim Matney. “We recognize that to take exceptional care of our patients, our employees need to take care of themselves. This program is another great resource for our existing corporate wellness initiative, which encourages a well-rounded approach to being healthy.”
Prevent T2 groups meet for a year – weekly for the first six months, then once or twice a month for the remainder of the year. Having a group setting for participants provides a supportive environment with people who are facing similar challenges and trying to make the same changes.
The program was built around research that showed that people with prediabetes who lost five to seven percent of their body weight by making modest changes reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.
Those who are prediabetic and don’t start making those changes early are at a higher risk of developing serious conditions that are related to type 2 diabetes, such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or loss of toes, feet, or legs.
People are more likely to have prediabetes and type 2 diabetes if they are 45 years of age or older, are overweight, have a family history of type 2 diabetes, are physically active fewer than three times per week, or have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy or gave birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds.
Colquitt Regional is a 99-bed teaching hospital located in Moultrie, Georgia. With over 90 providers, more than 30 specialties and 1,350 employees, Colquitt Regional is committed to providing exceptional healthcare that exceeds expectations for Colquitt County and the surrounding areas.
###
