NEW YORK, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- In a concerted effort to address the unmet needs of thousands of New Yorkers living with diabetes, Beth Israel Medical Center has established the new Gerald J. Friedman Diabetes Institute, which offers state-of-the-art supportive care, education and research in a brand-new facility on Beth Israel's main campus in Lower Manhattan.
The Institute, a gift to the people of the greater New York metropolitan area from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman New York Foundation for Medical Research, has already enrolled over 300 patients -- though its official opening will be celebrated on November 14, 2007, which is World Diabetes Day. When fully operational, the Institute will have a full-time staff that will include nutritional, clinical and educational experts.
"This is a very innovative approach to diabetes care and research, and all of us at the Friedman Diabetes Institute are proud to be taking part in a proactive way to battle this insidious disease," said Leonid Poretsky, MD, Director of Beth Israel's Diabetes Management Program and Chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism. "The idea is not for patients to come here to see physicians, though we will have four doctors on hand for emergencies. Instead, the Institute is here to supplement and support patients who remain with their own primary care physicians.
"This is where we come in," he added. "At the Institute, patients see nurses, educators and nutritionists, who then consult with the patients' primary care physicians to create an individualized program that best suits their endocrine care needs."
According to a recent report from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released in July 2007, there are an estimated 500,000 adults with diabetes in New York City, or 9% of the population - among the highest concentrated rates in the world. The disorder is the fifth largest cause of death in the City, but as many as 30% of New Yorkers with diabetes, or some 160,000 city residents, remain undiagnosed.
The Friedman Institute, with its "one-stop shopping" approach for diabetes care and education, is designed to meet three important goals for combating the disorder:
-- Control blood sugar, cholesterol, weight and blood pressure.
-- Avoid serious diabetes complications.
-- Conduct basic and clinical research.
The mission of the Institute is best summarized by the acronym "C.A.R.E.", with all programs at the Institute falling under one of these four categories:
CARE - The clinical and adult primary care programs include onsite
- clinical care such as monitoring of blood glucose and
medication, nutritional training and food demonstrations,
prevention of acute and chronic complications, cardiovascular
exercise, support groups, insulin pump training, and special
programs for children and high-risk pregnant women. Family
members are involved in the clinical care of patients.
AWARENESS - Awareness programs are aimed at not only specific populations,
- such as Hispanics and Asians, but also at the general public
through public awareness campaigns, campaigns in the media,
and other diabetes information efforts.
RESEARCH - Clinical and basic research is conducted at the Institute and
- in the labs of Beth Israel, ranging from molecular biology
(basic "bench" science) to clinical trials and studies that
review effective educational methods. This helps translate
diabetes research into clinical practice to improve patient
care.
EDUCATION - Institute staff will conduct outreach programs in all five
- boroughs, in conjunctions with the City's Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene, to address the educational needs of New
York's diverse population, and to help with detection and
prevention efforts. These programs are aimed not only at
patient education, but also at educating the general public
and medical professionals about the needs of people with
diabetes.
Several of the Institute's programs are unique, including:
-- Deaf Community Program - This program, whose goal is to complete the
first-ever diabetes education curriculum for the deaf, includes a
Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) program designed for the deaf
by Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs) and sign language interpreters.
-- Mental Illness Alliance - In association with Beth Israel's Department
of Psychiatry and the Alliance on Mental Illness, the Friedman Diabetes
Institute will offer diabetes information specifically geared toward
the unique needs of patients with mental illness and their families.
-- High Risk OB/GYN Program - Working with Beth Israel's Department of
Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Institute provides support and education
to pregnant women with diabetes (gestational, type 1 or type 2) and
their families to address issues commonly faced by expectant mothers
with the disorder. This multi-disciplinary approach helps pregnant
women improve blood sugar control while also learning skills that
promote a healthy pregnancy.
-- Educational Website - Because the Institute's staff can only engage a
very small percentage of individuals in the New York City region with
diabetes, the Institute will soon launch a special website with
interactive educational materials that could reach millions of people -
across the United States and, literally, around the world. Also
included in this website will be a special interactive section where
patients will be able to consult with the Institute's staff.
Most costs for Institute clinical services are reimbursed by private insurance and sometimes Medicaid. The fee for consulting with a nutritionist or nurse educator is $100, but a sliding scale fee is being created. "We will have a fee schedule that is affordable to everyone who needs our services," Dr. Poretsky said. "No one will be turned away if they can not pay in full."
Major funding for the Institute comes from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman New York Foundation for Medical Research, with additional corporate support from Pfizer, Merck and other funders. Dr. Friedman was the longtime Chief of Critical Care Medicine at Beth Israel and the founder of Beth Israel's pioneering clinical programs for the treatment of diabetes.
About The Friedman Foundation: The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman NY Foundation for Medical Research was created in 1992 to support Dr. Friedman's life-long commitment to the study and practice of internal medicine, diabetes and metabolism, clinical nutrition, cardiology and endocrinology.
An early pioneer in the field of diabetes, Dr. Friedman graduated from New York University School of Medicine in 1937 and was appointed to the faculty in 1938, remaining in the Department of Medicine until his death.
Dr. Friedman's illustrious medical career, which spanned more than 50 years, included many teaching appointments, and clinical and leadership positions at hospitals throughout New York City, such as the NYU and Mt. Sinai schools of Medicine. At Beth Israel Hospital, he served as chief of the Medical Intensive Care Unit (which was dedicated in his honor in 1975), chief of Metabolism and Endocrinology, chief of Diabetes and Metabolism, and vice president and president of the medical board. He also served as international medical director of the United Parcel Service for more than 20 years.
Dr. and Mrs. Friedman's philanthropic efforts include The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, The Friedman Diabetes Institute at Beth Israel Hospital in NYC, The Ian Copeland Musician's Fund for Melanoma Screening at UCLA Medical Center and a number of chairs in major institutions throughout the US.
About Beth Israel: Founded before the turn of the 20th century on Manhattan's lower East Side, Beth Israel was originally dedicated to serving vulnerable populations in that community. More than a century later, the Medical Center serves individuals from every walk of life through two hospital divisions: The Milton and Carroll Petrie Division in Lower Manhattan; and the kings Highway Division in the Midwood section of Brooklyn.
With world-class specialists in areas including heart disease, cancer, neurosurgery, orthopedics and physical medicine, minimally invasive surgery, women's health, HIV/AIDS and pain medicine and palliative care, Beth Israel is widely known for combining medical excellence with clinically innovative programs. AS University Hospital and the Manhattan Campus for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Beth Israel also is dedicated to teaching and nurturing top-notch physicians of tomorrow.
In addition to the Medical Center, the Beth Israel system also includes Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, a state-of-the-art outpatient care center in Union Square; Beth Israel Ambulatory Surgi-Center in Brooklyn; Geriatrics/Internal Medicine at Penn South; Robert Mapplethorpe Residential Treatment Facility; Karpas Health Information Center; Max Meltzer Geriatric Practice; and the Phillips Beth Israel School of Nursing.
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Gerald J. Friedman Diabetes Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center
