New Cincinnati adult diabetes center

Jun 15 2004

The Diabetes Center at the University of Cincinnati is a joint effort by UC and community leaders to improve diabetes care in the region and open the door to more community programs addressing the health care needs of people with diabetes.

Directed by UC College of Medicine Professor and Diabetologist Barbara Ramlo-Halsted, MD, The Diabetes Center will offer state-of-the-art care and education, accepting both physician- and self-referrals, and will act as a resource to physicians managing patients with diabetes.

"The number of physicians in Cincinnati and the region who provide diabetes care is not sufficient to meet the needs of the number of people who have this disease," said Dr. Ramlo.  "It is our hope that the resources of The Diabetes Center will ease the burden placed on many primary care physicians, while elevating the level of diabetes care."

It is estimated* there are 10,000 people with type 1 diabetes and 140,000 people with type 2 diabetes in Hamilton County alone.  Recent demographic trends and the prevalence of diabetes in younger people are leading to increases in the number of people living with this disease.

"When we sat down to talk about this ambitious endeavor, it became quite clear that Cincinnati needs to improve the care provided to diabetes patients and their families," said Mark Upson III, chair of The Diabetes Center Leadership Board.  "We intend to lend our support to this first center and expand our program into the many surrounding communities through educational outreach and, in the future, through additional centers located to best meet the needs of all people with diabetes and physicians throughout Greater Cincinnati."

The Diabetes Center staff will work closely with patients' primary health care providers to ensure the creation of a coordinated care plan.  In addition to its primary patient care and education focus, The Diabetes Center will offer ongoing support to clinical diabetes research programs at the UC Medical Center. 

"As the academic medical center in this region, it is our responsibility to assess needs of the community and provide solutions and resources to improve people's health outcomes," said Jane E. Henney, MD, senior vice president and provost for health affairs at UC.  "The Diabetes Center is doing just that by offering on-site education and more sophisticated diagnostics and therapeutics to a community that deserves the best care possible."

The Diabetes Center belongs to the University of Cincinnati.  It has received generous support from The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati and occupies space in Suite 306 of the Jewish Hospital Professional Building, 3120 Burnet Ave.

The center is staffed by Diabetologist Dr. Ramlo-Halsted; Diabetes Nurse Educators Betty Claydon, RD, CDE, and Cindy Gordon, RN, CDE; Staff Nurse Debbie Reckelhoff, LPN, MA; and Practice Manager Jill Rechtin.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 513-475-8200.

*Estimate completed by The Diabetes Center Task Force.  Estimate based on numbers of people with diabetes in the U.S.