Hospital brings diabetes, breast care services to 60 Doctors' Park

Under the same roof but on different levels at 60 Doctors' Park are two new services that offer patients convenient access and enhanced services.

At the new Southeast Missouri Hospital Diabetes Center, patients have access to the most comprehensive diabetes self-management education, and at the Breast Care and Diagnostic Center, patients find the most advanced breast health-care services available in the region.

Diabetes Center

The Diabetes Center, located on the lower level of 60 Doctors' Park, has been established in partnership with the International Diabetes Center in Minneapolis.

Diabetes within the United States has increased to epidemic proportions, affecting an estimated 20.8 million Americans. In Missouri alone, more than 313,000 people are coping with diabetes. The purpose of the new center is to help patients live well with diabetes by providing them with self-management skills that maximize the effectiveness of medical treatment and reduce the risk of long-term complications such as heart, vision and kidney problems.

Southeast's Diabetes Center focuses on the management of patients with type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Team members at Southeast's Diabetes Center are registered nurse Janet Stewart, MSA, BSN, RNC, CDE; registered dietitians Anita Smith, RD, LD, CDE, and Mary Etta Dunaway, RD, LD, CDE. All are certified diabetes educators. The center's medical director is emergency services physician Dr. Ronald L. Robinson, who is board certified in internal medicine. Southeast director of patient care services Sharon Stinson, MSA, RN, CNA, BC is Diabetes Center coordinator.

The center's guiding principle, Stinson said, "is that patient-centered, team care using an evidence-based, proven curriculum established by the International Diabetes Center is the key to excellent diabetes management. The center functions as an extension of physicians' practices to positively impact care of people with diabetes."

Focus on self-management

Through a series of four outpatient education classes held over a six-month period, individuals learn the importance of proper nutrition, exercise, monitoring for glucose control and medication therapy. Individuals access the center's services through physician referral.

In addition to the self-management program for type 2 diabetes, outpatient education services also are available for gestational diabetes and type 1 diabetes, which most commonly affects children and adolescents.

The center also offers a diabetes support group for patients and families; Camp DAY Break (Diabetes and Youth), a summer day camp for children ages 6 to 10 who have diabetes; and a pediatric endocrinology clinic in conjunction with SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis. The center's education staff works with schools in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Scott counties to provide diabetes information, emergency training and a wide variety of reference materials.

Breast care

Located on the upper level of 60 Doctors' Park, the Breast Care and Diagnostic Center is a collaborative service with Southeast providing diagnostic imaging and Cape Girardeau Surgical Clinic providing physician care.

The center is equipped with digital mammography, which is more accurate in detecting cancers in women with dense breasts, women under 50 and perimenopausal women. Other benefits include up to a 40 percent less radiation dose over standard mammography, and there are fewer callbacks or retakes for additional images because images can be enhanced with the computer. Digital mammograms also can be electronically transmitted to other physicians for viewing or reading.

The center's dedicated radiologist on-site, Dr. Tony Sangchompuphen is available for immediate diagnostic services. And, if suspicious abnormalities are revealed, surgeons are on site for diagnostic consultation and treatment planning. In addition to screening and diagnostic digital mammography, the Center also offers bone density screening.

Southeast's mammography service is accredited by the American College of Radiology.

The following services are available through the Breast Care and Diagnostic Center:

• Screening and diagnostic digital mammography
• Digital mammography for those with breast implants
• Immediate diagnostic services on site by a breast care radiologist
• Physical breast examination
• Diagnostic and therapeutic breast ultrasound
• Breast biopsies -- stereotactic or ultrasound guided (including sentinel node)
• Ductography
• Wire or needle localization
• Cyst aspiration
• Medical or surgical treatment for benign breast disorders such as breast pain, nipple discharge and fibrocystic disease.

The center also offers cancer risk assessment for individuals with a strong family history of breast, ovarian and colorectal cancer.