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Diabetes Education and Prevention

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Nearly 30 million Americans – 9.3 percent of the population – have diabetes. Another 86 million have prediabetes. To address that level of potential risk in northwest Montana, Logan Health’s Diabetes Education & Prevention program specializes in self-management, education and lifestyle coaching, empowering individuals to take control of diabetes or, if at risk, to prevent diabetes.

Diagnosing and preventing diabetes

When a person has diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot use insulin correctly. Diabetes is diagnosed when fasting blood glucose is higher than 125 mg/dL, random blood glucose is higher than 199 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c is higher than 6.4 percent. Once diagnosed with diabetes, the risk for developing diabetes-related complications, such as heart, kidney, eye and nerve diseases, increases significantly if blood glucose levels remain elevated.

Before a person is diagnosed with diabetes, blood glucose levels are elevated for months or even years. Prediabetes is diagnosed with a fasting blood glucose of 100-125 mg/dL, a random glucose of 140-199 mg/dL or a hemoglobin A1c of 5.7-6.4 percent. At these levels of blood glucose exposure, blood vessels start to become damaged and the long-term complications of diabetes may begin to develop.

It is important for every individual to know their blood glucose levels because diabetes can be prevented with lifestyle changes that contribute to weight loss and increased activity.

Working together to manage and prevent diabetes

We bring together certified diabetes care and education specialists​, registered dietitians and registered nurses who work together to help people with diabetes manage the disease and to help those at risk prevent diabetes.

If you want to learn more about diabetes or diabetes prevention, seek expert care in diabetes management or find support in your diabetes journey, please contact us.

Classes and resources

In Kalispell and throughout northwest Montana, Diabetes Education & Prevention offers diabetes self-management education, diabetes prevention classes, insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring, diabetes support groups, gestational diabetes education, community service presentations, and telehealth diabetes education and prevention services.

Call (406) 751-5454 for dates, times and locations.

Diabetes Self-Management

Diabetes prevention: This 12-month lifestyle balance class is for adults who are motivated to increase their activity and improve their eating habits to achieve weight loss and prevent heart disease and diabetes. This fun and informative program features supervised exercise sessions and group education to help participants develop healthy habits. The class is led by a registered dietitian.

Logan Health diabetes workshop: This eight-hour comprehensive diabetes self-management class equips participants with the skills necessary to take control of diabetes. These skills include healthy eating, self-monitoring of blood glucose, safe use of medications, being active, healthy coping, problem solving and reducing risks of complications. This quarterly class includes four weekly two-hour sessions.

Individual consultation:Individual sessions with a diabetes educator may include assessment of individual needs, nutrition, medication, self-monitoring of blood glucose, goal setting, sick day management and follow-up support of lifestyle changes.

Insulin pump therapy: Pump therapy can help patients achieve near-normal blood glucose levels with proper training and guidance. Training involves:

  • Pump candidate assessment, candidate guidelines, benefits and limitations of insulin pumping
  • Getting started with insulin pump therapy
  • Pump selection, basic operation and programming
  • Basic or advanced carbohydrate counting

Continuous glucose monitoring: Continuous glucose monitoring measures glucose (sugar) levels in tissue fluid using a small sensor inserted under the skin. Glucose measurements are recorded every few minutes. Diabetes care and education specialists can work along side your providers to determine if you are a candidate for CGM and help you best utilize and understand this technology as it relates to your diabetes care.

Diabetes support groups

Diabetes support groups and community education programs are offered throughout the year at no charge. Diabetes support group meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month for those who desire ongoing education and support.

National recognition

American Diabetes AssociationOur diabetes self-management education program was recognized by the American Diabetes Association in 2001 and has maintained program recognition since then. Programs that achieve recognition have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide high-quality information about diabetes management for participants.

Additional resources

American Diabetes Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides users with credible, reliable health information on a wide range of topics, including diabetes.

Children with Diabetes is an online community for children, families and adults with diabetes.

dLife is a resource for all aspects of the diabetes lifestyle, with information and community support for those with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes as well as caregivers.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation provides grassroots support and advocacy to fund research and improve the lives of people with Type 1 diabetes.

Locations

Logan Health - Whitefish

Logan Health - Whitefish

1600 Hospital Way
Whitefish, MT 59937
(406) 863-3500
Logan Health Diabetes Education & Prevention

Logan Health Diabetes Education & Prevention

430 Windward Way
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406) 751-5454
Logan Health Endocrinology & Infectious Disease

Logan Health Endocrinology & Infectious Disease

430 Windward Way, Suite 100
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406) 751-5364
In network icon A department of Logan Health Medical Center
Logan Health Rural Health Clinic – Cut Bank

Logan Health Rural Health Clinic – Cut Bank

226 9th Ave SE
Cut Bank, MT 59427
(406) 873-5507

Meet our team

Diabetes Team