It is America’s fastest growing disease: diabetes. The Nebraska Medical Center is now the premier place for specialized diabetes care and education. The Nebraska Medical Center’s new Diabetes Center is the only one of its kind in the state and in the region dedicated to offering comprehensive care for patients with diabetes.

A “One Stop Shop” for diabetes, the Diabetes Center combines the best of clinical care, education and research while drawing upon a full-range of top-rated specialists and cutting edge technology to provide unsurpassed treatment and care. The clinical research will be geared towards finding better ways to prevent and treat diabetes, and ultimately finding a cure for this disease.

“Our aim is to improve the quality of life for patients with diabetes,” said James Lane, M.D., medical director of The Nebraska Medical Center Diabetes Center and associate professor in the section of diabetes and endocrinology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “Diabetes is a common disease associated with serious complications and it requires specialty care.”

At the Diabetes Center, not only will patients be counseled and treated for diabetes, but they’ll be screened for complications of the disease and taught how to prevent and manage these consequences. For example, diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults. When a patient visits the Diabetes Center, they may also see an ophthalmologist or take an eye screening.

“We are making it convenient for diabetes patients to receive the care they need,” said Dr. Lane. “We have found that often diabetes patients don’t seek out eye care so we’re bringing the eye care to them.”

The Diabetes Center will also offer foot and nail care services. Plus, patients can be seen by an exercise physiologist. “Patients with diabetes benefit from physical activity,” said Dr. Lane. “Exercise physiologists will prescribe exercise programs for each patient, monitor patients while they exercise and track a patient’s progress.”

Education is another main function of the Diabetes Center.

“We believe part of providing high quality care is equipping the patient with the latest self-management tools through education,” said Jennifer Larsen, M.D., chief of diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism department at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “Our patients are taught the skills they need to monitor and maintain their blood sugars at a healthy level and decrease complications associated with diabetes.”

The center is equipped with a state-of-the-art conference room with AV equipment for group presentations and space for portable cooking demonstrations. A variety of classes will be offered to patients and to health professionals across the state.

“So far, more awareness of diabetes has not resulted in fewer diabetes cases or better controlled diabetes as we had hoped,” said Dr. Larsen. “We are evaluating new ways to educate the community to fight this growing epidemic.”

Video conferencing capabilities will allow physicians and educators telemedicine capability and the ability to educate patients and physicians across the state.

“It is not possible for us to see every patient with diabetes in the state,” said Dr. Larsen. “In turn, we hope to educate primary care physicians and other health professionals so they can best care for their patients with diabetes.”

Physicians at the Diabetes Center say they will likely see patients with more complex cases of diabetes.

“An urgent care component to our center will allow patients with acute-care problems to receive a timely response,” said Dr. Larsen. “Instead of going to the Emergency Department to treat blood sugar, these patients can come to our center. The hope is that this will cut down on both emergency room visits and hospitalizations for diabetes patients.”

Diabetes is one disease in a group of endocrine diseases. Other endocrine diseases like thyroid and pituitary diseases will also be treated at the Diabetes Center. “Patients with these diseases are at higher risk for diabetes,” said Dr. Larsen. “It makes sense for these patients to be treated at the same center.”