Health

Last Updated on Thursday, 02 May 2019 01:39

Monongahela Valley Hospital (MVH) is one of only two hospitals in Southwestern Pennsylvania and 85 among all hospitals in the United States to achieve Advanced Certification for Inpatient Diabetes Education by The Joint Commission (TJC).

This marks the fifth time since 2010 that MVH earned this two-year certification. TJC’s certification signifies that the services MVH provides have the critical elements to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes. It is the best signal to our community that the quality care we provide is effectively managed to meet the needs of patients.

A surveyor from TJC visited MVH in late January to conduct the survey. The Joint Commission and the American Diabetes Association have identified that the most successful inpatient diabetes programs possess the following critical attributes:

Specific staff education requirements
Written blood glucose monitoring protocols
Plans for the treatment of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia
Data collection of incidences of hypoglycemia
Patient education on self-management of diabetes
An identified program champion or program champion team

“Diabetes has a significant impact on the health of the communities we serve,” explained Karen Leone-Pritts, MS, RDN, CDE, LDN, director of MVH’s Clinical Nutrition and Diabetes. “Our staff is here to help individuals and the community improve their knowledge and understanding of both pre-diabetes and diabetes. We are here to help improve their lives.”