Press Releases: Georgia
March 3, 2005
Free Blood Sugar Screenings Available at 12 Kaiser Permanente Locations in Georgia
Kaiser Permanente of Georgia, in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association, will serve as an official alert center for the Diabetes Alert Day National Campaign on Tuesday, March 22. On that day, adults can receive free blood glucose screenings from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at all 12 Kaiser Permanente medical centers located throughout metro Atlanta (refer to list of locations below). Screenings are available on a first-come, first-serve basis to everybody in the community, not just Kaiser Permanente members.
This year’s "Sound the Alert" campaign is designed to increase awareness about diabetes through blood glucose screening and education. "Diabetes can be a silent disease," said Adrienne Mims, MD, Chief of Prevention and Health Promotion at Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. "You can have it for years, not know it, and end up suffering harm to your eyes, nervous system and kidneys as a result."
At present, over 17 million people throughout the United States suffer with diabetes, which is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases in the country. Statewide, more than 616,000 Georgians are affected with diabetes, of which 205,000 are as yet undiagnosed. Because diabetes often has no physical symptoms, it is usually diagnosed only by tests that indicate glucose intolerance in the blood. That’s why Diabetes Alert Day plays such an integral role in identifying and later treating those individuals diagnosed with diabetes each year.
"Obesity, poor diet and inactive lifestyles exacerbate the onset of adult diabetes," Dr. Mims added. "Others at greater risk for diabetes include those age 45 and older and those with a history of hypertension and/or diabetes in their family. In addition, the disease is more prevalent in African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian American and Pacific Islander populations than in other ethnic groups."
While diabetes is a serious disease that has no cure, it can be effectively treated with a long-term change in diet and regular exercise regimen. Also, once diabetes is detected, people can proactively engage in learning how to manage and effectively take control of their diabetes and, ultimately, their overall health. Proper knowledge and management of diabetes goes a long way toward alleviating diabetes-related health complications for individuals and reducing healthcare costs for communities.
For more information about Diabetes Alert Day screenings and/or directions to the Kaiser of Georgia medical centers listed below, call the Health and Education department at (404) 364-7360.
- Alpharetta Medical Center, 3550 Preston Ridge Road, Alpharetta 30005
- Brookwood at Peachtree Medical Office, 1745 Peachtree Rd., Suite U, Atlanta 30309
- Cascade Medical Center, 1175 Cascade Parkway, Atlanta 30311
- Crescent Medical Center, 200 Crescent Centre Parkway, Tucker 30084
- Cumberland Medical Center, 2525 Cumberland Parkway, Atlanta 30339
- Forsyth Medical Center, 1400 Northside Drive, Suite 350, Cumming 30041
- Glenlake Medical Center, 20 Glenlake Parkway, Atlanta 30328
- Gwinnett Medical Center, 3650 Steve Reynolds Blvd., Duluth 30096
- Henry Towne Centre, 1125 Towne Centre Village Drive, McDonough 30253
- Panola Medical Center, 5440 Hillandale Drive, Lithonia 30058
- Southwood Medical Center, 2400 Mt. Zion Parkway, Jonesboro 30236
- TownPark Medical Center, 750 TownPark Lane, Kennesaw 30144
Kaiser Permanente is the state of Georgia's largest nonprofit health plan, serving the health care needs of Atlanta metro area residents for 22 years. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc. currently provides comprehensive health care services to approximately 275,000 members through 15 medical facilities in a 28-county service, and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The Health Plan provided more than $5 million in community benefit programs and services.
