SALINAS, CA (June 22, 2012) — The Diabetes Education Center (DEC) at Natividad Medical Center was recently named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. This will allow residents in and around Monterey County increased access to critical diabetes education services.

Diabetes education is a collaborative process through which people with or at risk for diabetes gain the knowledge and skills needed to modify behavior and successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions. Services are provided by diabetes educators.

“AADE accreditation validates that Natividad’s Diabetes Education Center meets a rigorous, national standard of quality in our diabetes education program,” said Dana Kent, MD, Medical Director of Health Promotion and Education. “Additionally, it requires that we regularly provide documentation that we are continuing to provide excellent, evidence-based care, and that we strive to meet the needs of our community. We are pleased to attain AADE accreditation and to offer this valuable and needed service to Monterey County residents, who will benefit from expanded access to diabetes education.”

“Trends show that diabetes education is moving out of the hospital and into the community, so AADE’s accreditation program was created, in part, to encourage diabetes education where the patient is seeking care,” said Leslie E. Kolb, RN, BSN, MBA, Program Director, Diabetes Education Accreditation Program. “The Diabetes Education Center (DEC) at Natividad Medical Center is exactly the type of program we envisioned when we set up our accreditation program in 2009.”

Natividad Medical Center’s Diabetes Education Center is located in Salinas. The Center offers outpatient services to children and adults with diabetes type 1 and type 2, gestational diabetes, and pre-diabetes. Outpatient services include individual counseling and education, group counseling and education, community presentations and outreach.

About Natividad Medical Center

Natividad Medical Center is a Monterey County owned and operated 172-bed acute care hospital providing healthcare services to the people of the county for more than 125 years. Natividad Medical Center offers inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic and specialty medical care. NMC provides more than 33,000 patient days each year and more than 42,000 emergency department visits per year. NMC is ranked #1 in newborn deliveries in Monterey County. Natividad is the only teaching hospital on the Central Coast, through its affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). With a medical staff of more than 250 physicians, Natividad’s mission is to continually improve the health status of the people of Monterey County through access to affordable, high-quality health care services. Natividad is based in Salinas, California. For more information, please call 831-755-4111 or visit www.natividad.com.