MHEDS achieves two significant milestones in holistic healthcare mission.
For Immediate Release
Erie, Pa. – November 23, 2022. Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System (MHEDS), Erie’s FQHC Look-Alike serving New Americans and underrepresented communities, celebrates two holistic-healthcare milestones. The organization announces the accreditation of its Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) program and welcomes William Cobert, Doctor of Chiropractic, to its team.
MHEDS’ achieved the significant milestone of accreditation of its Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) program by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES). Accreditation represents a high level of quality and service to the community and the ability to better meet the needs of people affected by diabetes in the Erie area. The DSMES program is partially funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
“I’m so excited to have been able to see the program through to accreditation,” said DSMES educator and Chief Operating Officer Susan Chute, MPH, PT. “It is a great service to our patients, and the feedback has been positive!”
MHEDS offers DSMES education services in its facilities at 2928 Peach St. and 2021 E. 20th St. (JFK Community Center). The organization uses a collaborative process through which people – with or at risk for diabetes – work with a culturally-sensitive diabetes educator to receive individualized care. Diabetes education is a covered Medicare benefit when delivered through an accredited program. Also, throughout November, National Diabetes Awareness Month, MHEDS has provided educational messaging regarding Diabetes, its symptoms, and the proper disease management on social media and its website.
“Evidence shows diabetes education and support is helping people with diabetes to lower their A1c’s and obtain the knowledge and skills to better self-manage their condition,” said Sacha Uelmen, Director of Accreditation at ADCES. “That is why we need programs like MHEDS’ DSMES to make these services available in their community.”
In addition to MHEDS’ DSMES program, the organization recently expanded its services to Erie’s multicultural community by adding chiropractor Dr. William Cobert to its clinical care team. The expansion was the result of a generous $30,000 Erie Community Foundation Helping Today grant, which was awarded to offset the costs associated with adding chiropractic services. Cobert, a doctor of chiropractic medicine, was a private practitioner and staff chiropractor for Erie’s VA Medical Hospital before joining MHEDS. He now provides chiropractic services to adult patients at the MHEDS Peach Street location.
“I am excited to serve MHEDS’ patients with chiropractic health services they normally would not have access to,” said Dr. Cobert. “These health care services are a game changer in providing non-surgical care to help resolve common back pain conditions and enhance the quality of life of people throughout our communities.”
ABOUT ADCES
ADCES, formerly known as the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), is a multi-disciplinary professional membership organization dedicated to improving diabetes care through innovative education, management, and support. With more than 14,000 professional members, including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, exercise specialists, and others, ADCES has a vast network of practitioners working with people who have, are affected by or are at risk for diabetes. Learn more at www.diabeteseducator.org, or visit us on Facebook (Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists), Twitter (@ADCESdiabetes), and Instagram (@ADCESdiabetes).
ABOUT MHEDS
Multi-Cultural Health Evaluation Delivery System’s (MHEDS) mission is to enable all who wish to achieve complete mental, physical and social well-being by providing equitable, culturally sensitive, patient-centered health care, regardless of their ability to pay. MHEDS is Northwest PA’s one-stop healthcare service provider serving Erie’s multicultural community with holistic healthcare at two locations in Erie. As a Federally Qualified Health Center System Look-Alike, MHEDS meets rigorous compliance standards that ensure its patients continually receive high-quality, equitable care. Nearly 86% of MHEDS patients speak a native language other than English, including Nepali, Arabic, Swahili, Ukrainian, Russian, or Spanish. MHEDS is a 2021 recipient of the Pennsylvania Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Excellence in Community Engagement Award for valuable contributions to serving the refugee population.
For information contact, Susan Chute, MPH, PT, Chief Operating Officer at 814-453-6229, or schute@mheds.org.
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