Beth Samuelson, Registered Dietician, and Lynn Hughes, Certified Diabetic Educator, from Lakes Regional Healthcare spoke to Iowa Great Lakes Rotary about its new Diabetes Self-Management Training on Wednesday, February 1. The program is targeted toward those diagnosed with diabetes with 10 hours of education for patients in within the first year of diagnosis, and an additional 2 hours follow-up in the next years. The program is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and many insurance companies. Lynn is nationally and state certified to do the training, which requires a hospital to have a physician, dietician, pharmacist and advisory board related to the program.  Currently, 8.7% of adults in Dickinson County have been diagnosed with diabetes (approx. 1450 people) and 27.2% of adults in Dickinson County are considered obese (4500 people). A recent survey of those diagnosed with diabetes showed the need for a program like this as only 20% follow a meal plan, 30% have an exercise plan, 60% monitor their blood sugar, and 30% had formal diabetic education. Although all 100% of patients took their medicine, only 40% knew what their medication was for. Lakes Regional Healthcare has already started implementing the training and does need to report how the training helps clients with their self-care behaviors.