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Atlantic Health System Diabetes Education Service Merits ADA Recognition

February 20, 2019

February 20, 2019, Morristown, NJ – Atlantic Health System, an integrated health care delivery system, today announced it has been awarded Recognition from the American Diabetes Association for a quality diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) service. ADA believes that this service offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment. All Atlantic Health System education centers including, Morristown Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center, Newton Medical Center, Chilton Medical Center, Hackettstown Medical Center, Goryeb Children’s Hospital and Atlantic Maternal Fetal Medicine are now accredited.

The Association’s Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational services meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. The DSMES Standards were developed and tested under the auspices of the National Diabetes Advisory Board in 1983 and were revised by the diabetes community in 1994, 2000, 2007, 2012, and 2017.

“This recognition not only validates the coordinated care our medical and clinical teams deliver daily, but assures our patients they are receiving high-quality service at each of our campuses,” said Jan Schwarz-Miller, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Academic Officer for Atlantic Health System.

DSMES services apply for Recognition voluntarily. Services that achieve Recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide participants with comprehensive information about diabetes management. Education Recognition status is verified by an official certificate from ADA and awarded for four years.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2017 National Diabetes Statistic Report there are 30.3 million people or 9.4% of the population in the United States who have diabetes. While an estimated 23.1 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 7.2 million people are not aware that they have this disease. Each day more than 3,900 people are diagnosed with diabetes. Many will first learn that they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications – heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease, and amputation. About 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 18 years or older in 2015. Diabetes continues to be the seventh leading cause of death in the US in 2015 as it contributed to 252,806 deaths.

The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading non-profit health organization supporting diabetes research, advocacy and information for health professionals, people with diabetes and the public. Founded in 1940, the Association continues to support people affected by diabetes nationwide.

About Atlantic Health System

Atlantic Health System, is at the forefront of medicine, setting standards for quality health care in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the New York metropolitan area. Powered by a workforce of more than 16,800 team members and 4,800 affiliated physicians dedicated to building healthier communities, Atlantic Health System serves more than half of the state of New Jersey including 11 counties and 4.9 million people. The system offers more than 400 sites of care, including six hospitals: Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, Newton Medical Center in Newton NJ, Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ, Hackettstown Medical Center in Hackettstown, NJ and Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ.

In addition to the employed workforce, Atlantic Alliance, a Clinically Integrated Network represents more than 2,500 health care providers throughout northern and central NJ. This network includes 1,000 physicians and providers comprising one of the largest multi-specialty practices in New Jersey - Atlantic Medical Group, as well as members of the Atlantic Accountable Care Organization and Optimus Healthcare Partners which work to enhance patient care delivery.

Atlantic Health System provides care for the full continuum of health care needs including 12 urgent care centers, Atlantic Rehabilitation and Atlantic Home Care and Hospice. Facilitating the connection between these services on both land and air is the transportation fleet of Atlantic Mobile Health.

Atlantic Health System leads the Healthcare Transformation Consortium, a partnership of seven regional hospitals and health systems dedicated to improving access and affordability and is a founding member of the PIER Consortium – Partners in Innovation, Education, and Research – a streamlined clinical trial system that will expand access to groundbreaking research across seven health systems in New Jersey.

Atlantic Health System has a medical school affiliation with Thomas Jefferson University and is home to the regional campus of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers and is the official health care partner of the New York Jets.