Pediatric Diabetes Center at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, recognized for providing outstanding diabetes education

The diagnosis of diabetes is life-changing at all ages, but when it is made in a child, it affects the whole family. To recognize the excellent education provided by the pediatric diabetes team at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) awarded the Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education and support service to the Northeast Florida Pediatric Diabetes Center.

Centers that achieve this recognition status have a team of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide patients with comprehensive information about diabetes management. The ADA Education Recognition Program is the leading quality assurance mechanism for diabetes self-management education and support.

Programs that are considered for this status undergo rigorous review to ensure they meet strict national standards for developing and maintaining excellent diabetes education services. Recognition status is verified by officials from the ADA and awarded for four years.

“Through appropriate self-management, our patients are able to prevent short- and long-term complications of diabetes and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions,” said Nemours pediatric endocrinologist Larry A. Fox, MD, medical director of the Northeast Florida Pediatric Diabetes Center and chief of Endocrinology at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “This recognition status exemplifies the fantastic work our diabetes team does every day and their importance to the community in Northeast Florida and beyond.”

The Pediatric Diabetes Center provides evaluation, treatment and ongoing management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children. The Center also treats cystic fibrosis-related diabetes and rarer forms of diabetes, including inherited forms of Maturity Onset Diabetes in Youth (MODY), post-pancreatectomy diabetes, and steroid-induced diabetes.
In addition, the Center also offers family and individual counseling, support groups and education in advanced diabetes technologies, including artificial pancreas systems.

The team includes board-certified pediatric endocrinologists working at both at Nemours and Wolfson Children’s, pediatric endocrine fellows, nurse practitioners and diabetes research coordinators, along with several certified diabetes educators who are specially trained either as registered dietitians or nurses, all working in an integrated system to care for children with diabetes and their families. Administrative support staff is also an integral part of the team.

“This recognition wouldn’t be possible without the commitment of each and every member of the Pediatric Diabetes Center team,” said Nelly Mauras, MD, chief of Endocrinology for Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville. “Their dedication to their patients and families ensures these children can grow to be healthy adults, and the research being conducted now will benefit children for generations to come. This center is an enormous asset to the community and the large treatment area that we serve”

In addition to the ADA recognition, Wolfson Children’s was recently named one of the 50 Best Children’s Hospitals in the nation for Diabetes and Endocrinology by U.S. News & World Report.