Caring for the Community: Houston Healthcare Receives Federal Grant to Fight Chronic Disease in Central Georgia
Houston Healthcare Receives Federal Grant to Fight Chronic Diseases
Houston Healthcare has been awarded a $94,050 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to continue their fight against chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma, in Central Georgia.
Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, accounting for 70 percent of all deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). More than 40 percent of all hospitalizations in Georgia are the result of a chronic disease, with Central Georgia having one of the highest levels of chronic diseases in the state, reports the Georgia Hospital Association. Although they are some of the most common and costly of health problems, the majority of chronic diseases can be prevented and controlled.
“A chronic disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure or asthma, can be managed, but not cured,” explains Beth Jones, RNC, Director of Houston Healthcare’s Community Education and Services. “Proper management of a chronic health condition must include care from a health professional, but the majority of the care is ultimately the responsibility of the individual with the condition. They must be empowered to take on that responsibility.”
Houston Healthcare works to educate and empower those with chronic diseases in Houston County and surrounding communities through various educational and support programs, such as its award-winning, nationally recognized Diabetes Management Program and its annual Asthma Camp. Participants in the programs learn about their disease and how to successfully manage it on a daily basis. As a result, participants make fewer visits to the emergency room and to the hospital after completing the programs.
“Self-management education is a vital component in the treatment of a chronic disease and learning more about the disease is the first commitment to managing it,” adds Jones. “In addition to helping the person with the condition better understand it, our programs also help the diagnosing physician by educating the patient so that the two of them can communicate more efficiently.”
According to Jones, funding from the federal grant will enable Houston Healthcare to continue to expand its chronic disease management efforts in the community to include providing additional health screenings at local senior centers and churches as well as offering worksite wellness programs to local businesses. They have also partnered with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Program and District Public Health to offer diabetic and heart healthy cooking schools as well as a six-week-long educational program for those affected by chronic diseases.
“People are often not aware of the warning signs of a chronic disease until it’s too late,” says Jones. “Providing individuals with information on how to manage their disease as well as empowering each one to become an active member of their health care team is the goal of chronic disease management.”
For more information about the Chronic Disease Management Program offered by Houston Healthcare, please call EduCare at (478) 923-9771.