On 14 West Tower, there is a new four-bed unit designated solely for diabetes patients who visit our hospital’s inpatient units. It’s a small area that’s going to make a big difference, maybe even help save lives.
The plans for the unit began as part of Delivering On the Vision (DOTV), the hospital wide effort to impact patient care and outcomes. DOTV created a Care Process Team to combat Diabetic Ketoacidosis or DKA. DKA is a life-threatening condition that diabetics encounter which could affect morbidity and mortality. The team discussed the work processes and potential areas of focus for quality improvement, deciding that a diabetes center of excellence was vital in improving our patient care and outcomes for diabetic patients.
“The dedicated Diabetes Care Unit allows for highly specialized care by a cohesive, expert team in a location where care is brought to the patient,” said Rhonda Wolfe, who is leading the Care Process Team along with Dr. Rona Sonabend. “The impact of a highly trained, expert team will mean improved quality, decreased length of stay, better preparation for discharge and ultimately better outcomes for our patients and families.”
Bedside nurses received advanced training to enhance their expertise with this patient population. This team is able to provide focused, expert care, involving all disciplines and providing a care model that is accessible, regardless of time of day or day of the week.
The team continues to receive ongoing training and will prepare for higher acuity patient admissions to the Diabetes Care Unit this coming fall.