The American Diabetes Association® (ADA), a leading organization dedicated to combating diabetes, has recognized the OSF Medical Group- Primary Care in Spring Valley, Illinois, through its Education Recognition Program (ERP). This recognition was initially granted to their diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) service in January 2024.
The ADA's ERP certificate signifies that the educational services meet the National Standards for DSMES and are backed by evidence-based and outcome-driven interventions. Services apply for recognition voluntarily, and ADA-ERP recognition is valid for four years.
Barbara Eichorst, MS, RD, CDCES, the ADA’s vice president of health programs, emphasized the importance of DSMES in managing diabetes, stating that it is as effective as diabetes medication and beneficial for all individuals with diabetes. She commended the OSF Medical Group in Spring Valley for its dedication to providing value-based interventions like DSMES, which enhance outcomes and patient experiences.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 38 million people in the U.S., or 11.6% of the population, have diabetes, with approximately 8.7 million unaware of their condition. Diabetes diagnoses occur at a rate of nearly 3,300 Americans per day, often revealing itself through life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease, or amputation. Diabetes ranks as the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S., contributing to 399,401 deaths in 2021 alone. The ADA's Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022 report underscores the condition's status as one of the nation's most costly chronic health care conditions, with an estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes amounting to $412.9 billion.
For more information on the ADA’s ERP and other ERP-certified services, click here.