Quality

Spectrum Health Honored For Diabetes Efforts

For the past year, Spectrum Health has worked with other local health care systems to improve, measure and promote evidence-based practices for inpatient treatment of diabetes. These efforts were recently honored by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Spectrum Health, Saint Mary’s Health Care and Metro Health, as members of the West Michigan Hospital Diabetes-Glycemic Management Collaborative, were presented with an ADA Healthcare Champion Award for their work to improve the treatment and care of diabetes and glycemic control inpatients.

The local collaborative was nominated by the Greater Michigan American Diabetes Association.

The West Michigan Hospital Diabetes-Glycemic Management Collaborative was formed in November 2008. Medical and clinical representatives from each of the hospitals meet regularly to jointly develop plans to improve treatment for diabetic and non-diabetic patients experiencing hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) related to acute illness.

Over 24 million Americans currently suffer from diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. According to the American Association of Diabetes Educators, poorly controlled diabetes is also the leading cause of adult blindness, end stage renal disease and non-traumatic lower limb amputations.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, a collection of seven hospitals and more than 140 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and’ mmpc, multispecialty physician groups with more than 400 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with nearly 500,000 members. Spectrum Health’s 16,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,000 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care. The organization provided $111.1 million in community benefit during its 2008 fiscal year. As a system, Spectrum Health has earned more than 100 awards during the past 10 years.