To help patients who have diabetes create individualized life-style plans, Carolinas HealthCare System offers four specialized diabetes centers. All patients have been referred by a physician, whether primary care or a specialist such as an endocrinologist.

Carolinas Diabetes Center
Carolinas Diabetes Center, a Carolinas Physicians Network, practice is located at 1628 E. Morehead St., Charlotte, NC 28207. This nationally recognized diabetes treatment center, which opened in 1986, has five certified diabetes educators on staff. It is reaccredited every three years by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). For more information, call 704-347-4033. Edith Miller, M.D., is the medical director and an endocrinologist. She specializes in patients who are both pregnant and had diabetes either before pregnancy or due to gestational diabetes - about 40 percent of the center's patient population. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can hurt the fetus and can lead to large-for-their-gestational-age babies.

The Diabetes Center at Union Regional Medical Center
The Diabetes Center at Union Regional Medical Center is located at 600 Hospital Drive, Monroe, NC 28112. Opening in 1996, the Diabetes Center had more than 1100 patient visits in 2002. Meeting the high standards of the American Diabetes Association, the center received the Certificate of Recognition from the ADA in 2002.

For more information, call 704-225-2880.

The Diabetes Center at Cleveland Regional Medical Center
The Diabetes Center at Cleveland Regional Medical Center is located at 201 E. Grover St., Shelby, NC 28150. While the hospital has always had a diabetes program, it became a formal center of excellence in November 2000 and is now working toward its first certification from the American Diabetes Association. The staff includes three certified diabetes educators. In 2000, this center served more than 700 adult and pediatric inpatients and outpatients, approximately 6 percent of those patients were pregnant.

For more information, call 704-487-3953.

Blue Ridge HealthCare System Outpatient Diabetes Education Program
The Blue Ridge HealthCare System Outpatient Diabetes Education Program is two separate programs in the process of becoming one - Valdese Hospital (720 Malcolm Blvd., Rutherford College, NC 28671) and Grace Hospital (2201 S. Sterling St., Morganton, NC 28655). These two programs served approximately 650 patients in 2000.

While the program at Grace Hospital is already certified by the ADA, the program at Valdese Hospital is working toward its first certification.

For more information, call 828-874-2251.