Empoweing Residents to Navigate Diabetes with Confidence
The Azzarelli Outreach Clinic of St. John Paul II Parish offers healthcare services to the uninsured and underinsured, welcoming all who need assistance. Operated entirely by volunteer healthcare professionals and ancillary staff, their clinic is dedicated to reducing health disparities and providing care to those without other healthcare options. As the only 100% free medical center in Kankakee and the surrounding River Valley, their clinic treats over 1,300 patients annually, ensuring that all services are provided at no financial cost to them.
The majority of patients visiting the clinic have either Type I or Type II diabetes. The volunteer team aims to improve diabetes control and reduce health disparities through quality screenings, diagnosis, treatment, and enhanced patient education and empowerment strategies.
Through the clinic’s comprehensive care program, patients receive free medications, regular foot and eye examinations, and essential supplies like blood glucose test kits. Research indicates that actively engaged patients tend to experience better health outcomes and slower disease progression. To empower patients in managing their diabetes, the clinic encourages regular home monitoring of blood glucose levels. By providing testing kits free of charge, the clinic enables patients to maintain control over their health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five Americans with diabetes and one in three with prediabetes are unaware of their condition. Early screening and treatment are crucial. For newly diagnosed patients, their providers conduct thorough history and physical examinations. Comprehensive blood panels are ordered to establish baseline levels and check for target organ damage. Diabetes can lead to both macrovascular and microvascular complications, increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, and amputations. Therefore, every three months, their providers perform focused physical assessments and recheck bloodwork to monitor diabetes control and progression.
To further educate their patients, 975 placemats, available in both English and Spanish, were purchased to promote healthy eating habits among patients. These placemats serve as practical tools to guide patients in making nutritious food choices, a key component in controlling diabetes. A grant award through the Community Stewardship Fund provided assistance in these efforts of improving diabetes control in underinsured patients. Through access to healthcare and screenings, alongside education and empowerment, Azzarelli strives to detect diabetes early, manage the disease and minimize progression.
