According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, around 256,000 West Virginians have diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. On September 10-12, nurses, physicians, pharmacies and other health care professionals from around the state gathered in Charleston for the Diabetes Workshop and Symposium. The theme of this year’s event was “Bridging the Gap with Education”. Some of the topics discussed at the conference include identifying current trends and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for diabetes education, strategies for preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes, and therapies for diabetes related complications and co-morbidities, including renal disease and depression.

Manager of Clinical Outcomes Research for HEALTHeWV, Kathy Platter, spoke about improving the quality of care and bridging the gap through the use of electronic health records. Platter highlighted the success of the HEALTHeWV system at Wheeling Health Right and how electronic records can improve patient care and streamline the communication process at health care facilities. Platter says “For example, at Wheeling Health Right, if a patient calls in to schedule an appointment, the receptionist that brings up the patients name could see a red warning sign that indicates when lab work, screening or diabetes education is needed for the patient. A nurse can then work with the patient to get these done before the patient meets with the physician.”

Platter says besides better care and improving communication, the system also eliminates extra trips for patients, especially those in rural areas of the state. “The electronic health records system can be optimized to meet each clinics needs.” Currently, 21 health clinics in West Virginia use HEALTHeWV’s electronic health records system. The Diabetes Symposium and Workshop was sponsored by West Virginia University (WVU), Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC), and by the West Virginia Diabetes Prevention and Control Program.

The NTTC’s HEALTHeWV program aims to enhance the health care of people throughout rural West Virginia by incorporating a patient-focused, disease-management software tool in clinics around the state. The program specifically addresses West Virginia’s high incidence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and heart and lung disease. HEALTHeWV is based on the U.S. Army’s award-winning HEALTHeFORCES program and is adapted for use in rural civilian communities. The program is a collaboration among the NTTC, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Marshall University’s Robert C. Byrd Center for Rural Health Care.

The youngest of the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, Wheeling Jesuit University offers students a high-quality private education. Since 1995 U.S. News & World Report has ranked Wheeling Jesuit University among the top institutions in its “Best Master's Universities in the South” category. The campus is also home to the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center, the Erma Ora Byrd Center for Educational Technologies®, the NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future, a Challenger Learning Center® and the Clifford M. Lewis Appalachian Institute.