JONESBORO, Ark., Oct. 21, 2009 – Nurse educators, dietitians, pharmacists and other experts at NEA Baptist offer free diabetes education classes that provide the skills and support necessary for patients to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

“Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily self-management, including making healthy food choices, staying physically active, monitoring your blood sugar and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor,” said Danna Barkley, cardiac-pulmonary rehab coordinator at NEA Baptist. “Our team helps patients with issues they may encounter and develops individualized plans for their treatment.”

The diabetes education program is accredited by the American Diabetes Association and requires a referral from a primary care physician. In the classes, patients learn everything from how to balance their diet and implement blood sugar monitoring routines to decreasing health care costs by reducing the need for hospital stays. Patients also learn ways to prevent other complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage.

NEA Baptist is a 100-bed facility that has all-private rooms. The hospital offers a number of inpatient and outpatient services, including an emergency room, surgical services, neurology, respiratory care, cancer care and pulmonary rehabilitation. NEA Baptist also offers heart care through its Heart Center and labor and delivery services through the hospital's Women's Center. For more information about the free diabetes education classes at NEA Baptist, please call Holly Acebo at 870-934-5101, and also talk to your primary care physician.

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