World-class diabetes care

Most diabetes patients remember the life-changing moment when they were diagnosed with the chronic disease.

For John Weil, a U.S. citizen teaching English in Japan, that life-changing moment happened in August 2018.

Weil was returning from a trip to Las Vegas and passing through Hanford on his way back to the Bay Area where his family lives.

"I stopped at a gas station and collapsed," says Weil. "The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hospital and being told I was diabetic."

Weil's blood sugar level was 1,300 mg/dL, which is well over the normal 180 mg/dL for well-controlled diabetes. He was in the Adventist Health Hanford intensive care unit for 24 hours and in the hospital for seven days. While in the hospital, he received specialized care through Adventist Health’s inpatient diabetes program, which earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Disease-Specific Care Certification in January 2019.

"I couldn't have ended up in a better place," says Weil. "The team was amazing! Being newly diagnosed, I had lots of questions. They provided me with education and made sure I knew how to inject the insulin before I left the hospital."

Some of the key features of our diabetes program include:

• A physician champion/subject matter expert (Dr. Prem Sahasranam, endocrinologist)
• Certified diabetes educator (Rex Jones, RN)
• Written blood glucose monitoring protocols
• Patient education on diabetes self-management
• A plan coordinating insulin and meal delivery
• Plans for treatment of hypo/hyperglycemia
• Scheduled follow-up appointment with a provider before leaving the hospital

Everyone who enters the hospital with diabetes receives a consultation with Dr. Prem Sahasranam (Dr. Sahas), who's been caring for patients at Adventist Health for nearly 12 years. Patients also receive extensive education from the hospital's certified diabetes educator and registered nurse, Rex Jones.

"I was really fortunate to have ended up with Rex," says Weil. "Because of the education he provided, my diet has totally changed."

Weil enjoys biking in the countryside of Hiroshima. In addition to eating healthier, he also plans to exercise more.

"I can't be doing what I did before," he says. "It's definitely a wake-up call."

PICTURED:John Weil in front of Hiroshima Castle