As we wrote in November 2021, LHC Group officially launched “Choose Control” – a diabetes management program that utilizes both established methods and more modern techniques specifically related to patient and caregiver education.

Our early pilot program delivered promising results, and as we introduce the program at locations across the nation, we’re getting some great feedback on how it is helping people more effectively manage their diabetes and improve their quality of life.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA):

• In 2018, 34.2 million Americans, or 10.5 percent of the population, had diabetes.
• Nearly 1.6 million Americans have type 1 diabetes – adults, children, and adolescents.
• Of the 34.2 million adults with diabetes, 26.8 million were diagnosed and 7.3 million were undiagnosed.
• The percentage of Americans age 65 and older remains high, at 26.8 percent, or 14.3 million seniors (diagnosed and undiagnosed).
• 5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year.
• In 2015, 88 million Americans age 18 and older had prediabetes.

Mr. Steven Elrod is a patient with Alliance Oklahoma Home Health North Central in Ponca City, Okla. He came to the agency after having difficulty managing his diabetes symptoms. His patient care manager, Karen Ortiz, spoke about how the agency team was able to help him.

“In this particular case, we helped (Mr. Elrod) achieve success by following through on the steps of good nursing care,” she said. “The program helps the patient by providing nurses with a clear idea of what exactly to teach – the Pathways are more detailed and the goals are concise. With non-judgmental teaching, coaching, and assistance he learned the right dosage for his medications – and how to make better diet choices. I am so proud of how he has grasped things and followed through on what our nurses have been teaching him.”

Mr. Elrod was kind enough to visit with us for a few minutes and discuss how his experience with the Choose Control program and the staff at Alliance Oklahoma Home Health North Central has helped improve his quality of life.

How long have you had diabetes?

“A good ten years or around there – it has been a while. My father and mother both passed away from diabetes.”

What difficulties were you having with managing your medications?

“I was taking too much, the wrong kind of pills, and the insulin was too high. I was falling down and having hallucinations of some kind. It amounted to many different things, where I couldn’t negotiate my extremities like I should. I was basically overdosing myself – I’d go down and wouldn’t be able to get up for a while.”

What did you learn from the program?

“I wasn’t following the directions correctly. I was overfilling my insulin shot, I was taking a different medication – which I don’t think I should have been taking – and eating the wrong foods. With the program, I’ve corrected all that.”

How has the agency, with Choose Control, helped improve your condition and quality of life?

“They’ve done an excellent job and have been working with me very well. They’re keeping me in line, and I’m following the instructions much better than I was. I haven’t had any more falls, and I have a better body metabolism since I’ve got everything straight again. I can get around a lot better and easier than what I was doing.”

What was your opinion on home care before your treatment?

“I’d used it (home health) before, when I got out of the hospital last summer. I probably wish that I’d had home care before I started all the different types of treatments. The treatments that they work with me on now have been excellent. I’ve done what they said, and followed their instructions regarding my eating and stuff like that – and everything else has come out great.”

Why would you recommend Choose Control – and home care in general – to your friends and family?

“The nurses here at Alliance are great. They do a good job of keeping things the way they should be. They give you good instructions on what to do, and I’ve followed everything they’ve taught me so far. This group is following through on what they’ve been saying. You don’t have to go to the doctor’s office all the time. You can stay in your home and they can always come around and help you when you need it.”

Mr. Elrod is just one example of how we can help our diabetes patients live better, more fulfilling lives and maintain their independence. Like so many chronic diseases, uncontrolled diabetes limits lives, causes suffering for patients and their families, and robs people of vitality and comfort.

But there is hope in the form of programs like Choose Control, and in dedicated clinicians – like those at Alliance Oklahoma Home Health North Central – who are committed to our company’s mission to provide the best possible care.

Our goal is to use the collective might of LHC Group to lead the charge in utilizing tools like Choose Control to provide effective treatments for a condition that affects so many of the patients and communities we serve.

Our patients are the reason we do what we do. Because, as always, it’s all about helping people. Please find an LHC Group location near you and contact us today if you are in need of services.