The Diabetes Education Program is one of the services provided by West River Health Services in Hettinger. West River Health Services recognizes and supports diabetes self-education as an essential part of providing quality care to the people that we serve. We strive to provide a level of care, using a multi-disciplinary team approach, to assist patients and their families in attaining an optimal level of wellness.

West River Health Services has been providing education for people with diabetes since 1983 when we were still called "Community Memorial Hospital". Certified Diabetes Educators have staffed our Diabetes Education Program since 1995. We achieved state recognition by the North Dakota Chapter of the American Diabetes Association in 1999, and national recognition by the American Diabetes Association in 2002. Our Diabetes Education Program was awarded Outstanding Rural Health Program at the North Dakota Rural Health Conference in 2002.

Our services include:

• Diabetes Management Program - Our service area covers 25,000 square miles, so traveling for health care can involve a great deal of time and miles. In our Diabetes Management Program, you can meet with up to 5 members of our diabetes care team for a comprehensive diabetes health care visit, all on the same day. You can have blood work done, have a check-up with your doctor, get your annual eye exam done by our eye doctor, have your feet examined by our foot doctor, and see the nurse educator or the dietitian educator to review and update your knowledge on food and managing your diabetes.
• Individual education sessions - May be scheduled with our nurse educator or our dietitian educator, both of who are certified diabetes educators (CDE's).
• Group education sessions - "Living with Diabetes" classes are offered on a regular basis in a classroom setting at West River Health Services.
  Click here to see the schedule of classes.
• Diabetes Support Group - We meet at 2:00 PM the second Thursday of each month in the WRHS Surgery Waiting Room in the Centennial Addition.