AHA Honors Dauterive as ‘Community Innovator’
July 25, 2011
Community Innovator. It’s not just a title. It’s an honor.
The American Heart Association Acadiana Chapter presented representatives of Dauterive Hospital with its Community Innovator Award recently during the annual American HeartWalk kickoff luncheon at Carrabba’s Restaurant. The hospital also was among other companies in Acadiana that received the Gold Level Fit Friendly Award for efforts to promote positive health initiatives in the community and among staff.
“This is certainly a great honor, and we are humbled and privileged to receive the recognition from a great partner like the American Heart Association,” said Alan Fabian, Chief Executive Officer.
“We work diligently every day to provide the quality healthcare people not only want, but need right here in the communities where we live, work and play,” Fabian said. “We are elated to receive this honor, but we are more enthused to provide award-winning healthcare to our families, friends and neighbors every day, right here at home.”
Dauterive Hospital received the Community Innovator Award for its annual Diabetes Drive Thru, held each November. And, as such, no other company in the nation may receive the same award for the same type of event, American Heart Association representatives explained.
Here’s how the Diabetes Drive Thru works: The public is invited to the free screening and asked to fast before arriving. A tent is set up in the parking lot of the Physicians Plaza at 500 N. Lewis Ave., adjacent to Dauterive Hospital. As the vehicle pulls up to the tent, occupants wanting to be screened hold out a hand and someone checks their blood glucose level.
Family medicine physicians and the Dauterive Hospital Steppin’ Up Diabetes Self-Management team – the only American Diabetes Association-accredited diabetes education team in the Teche Area – are on hand to answer any questions and address any concerns.
People diagnosed with diabetes have a higher-than-average risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, according to the American Diabetes Association. The number of diabetes cases could triple by 2050, according to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control.
An estimated 1 in 3 American adults are expected to be diagnosed with some form of diabetes within the next 40 years if current trends continue. That’s an increase from 26 million U.S. residents currently reported to have some form of diabetes to more than 100 million.