A group in Central Alberta is doing its best to keep medical staff informed of the most up-to-date information on diabetes treatment and research.

In Alberta, diabetes rates have doubled in the last decade, with more than 150,000 people in the province living with the disease, according to the Alberta Diabetes Surveillance System.

The Diabetes Educator Section Central Alberta Chapter got started in 2006, as a way to support physicians, nurses, dieticians and pharmacists who help people with diabetes.

“Our hope is that if we can provide up-to-date evidence-based information, then they can relay it to the people they work with to help advance diabetes care,” said Kathleen Polet, who is the chapter chair and a dietician.

Every three months, the chapter has educational sessions open to health professionals. Speakers come in to talk about things like disordered eating or have an endocrinologist come to talk about the ups and down of adjusting to insulin.

Polet said it’s a time for physicians, nurses, dieticians and pharmacists to advance their knowledge in this area and also network with other professionals.

“It seems the field today in terms of technology and research is changing so fast — that is excellent that we’ve had the opportunities that we’ve had to keep updated and to support our clients,” said Sharon Wiens, chair elect and a nurse who works with people with diabetes.

Although the Red Deer chapter of the Diabetes Educator Section only has 35 members, it won the Diabetes Educator Section Chapter of the year award for 2009, when Tracy Everitt was chair.

The chapter has even been able to support medical staff who wanted to attend the Canadian Diabetes Association Conference in Montreal in 2008 and others who wanted to attend the International Diabetes Federation, 20th World Diabetes Congress, in Montreal in 2009. The chapter also supported an educator from Cameroon, Africa, to attend.

The next educational section is limited to health professionals and will take place on March 9, with a physician speaking about advocating for patients with diabetes.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the chapter or about upcoming events can e-mail RDC-Diabetes.Educators@albertahealthservices.ca or visit www.diabetes.ca/forprofessionals/des/membership

sobrien@reddeeradvocate.com