WEST MICHIGAN’S ONLY DIABETES CARE CENTER EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., 2005 - At the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at Saint Mary’s Health Care, helping more than 4,000 patients from throughout West Michigan manage their disease has earned J. David Faichney, M.D, FACP and Philip W. Tate, M.D. national recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

The three-year designation recognizes the doctors’ performance excellence in several areas, including improved diabetes outcomes, nutrition therapy and patient satisfaction.

The Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology provides each patient with a comprehensive team of caregivers, including endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, certified diabetes educators, dietitians, optometrists and pharmacists so that most of a patient’s diabetes needs can be met under one roof.

“Physicians who earn recognition through the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program have an established track record of providing excellent diabetes care,” said Alan D. Cherrington, Ph.D., president of the American Diabetes Association. “The list of recognized doctors is the first place to look if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes.”

A leading cause of death in the United States, diabetes affects more than 18 million Americans, of whom 1.8 million are Michigan residents. Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood sugar to enter the cells of the body.

Saint Mary’s Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology opened in August 1998. This is the second time Doctors Faichney and Tate have been recognized by the NCQA.

Saint Mary’s Health Care is committed to providing health care that is more complete and personally satisfying by providing the latest technology and most highly skilled physicians in a patient-centered environment. The network encompasses more than 2,500 employees, a 324-bed hospital, The Lacks Cancer Center, The Hauenstein Parkinson’s Center, the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, 18 primary care physician offices, three fitness centers and six community outreach centers. Saint Mary’s is a member of Trinity Health, the country’s fourth-largest Catholic health care system.