University Hospitals formally opened its Diabetes Center at MidTown April 11 in an effort to combat the neighborhood's high diabetes rate.
The facility is meant to provide support within walking distance of Cleveland's MidTown neighborhood, which has higher than average diabetes rates, said Dr. Betul Hatipoglu, endocrinologist and medical director of the UH Diabetes & Metabolic Care Center.
"If you really focus around MidTown, the number that we were able to get (of those with diabetes) actually could be as high as 28%, which is really high," she said. "We are hoping to serve the individuals that need our care and doesn't need to travel or think about transportation, think about who's going to take them. Just walk and come and see us."
By comparison, the diabetes rate in Cuyahoga County is 13% and the national average is 9%.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and is associated with health complications including leg amputation, kidney disease, delayed wound healing, depression, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease.
In addition to providing care within a walkable distance, Hatipoglu said the facility provides services regardless if patients have insurance or are otherwise able to pay.
To qualify, patients must apply to be eligible for financial assistance. The application process includes applying for and being denied by Medicaid. Patients making 0–250% of the Federal Poverty Guideline may receive a 100% discount from UH, according to the hospital system.
India Hogan, a Cleveland resident who shops for groceries in the neighborhood, said the center is a welcome addition.
“I think that the medicine got sky-high, extremely sky-high," she said. "So, if they're providing a benefit for people that do have diabetes, at a rate that they can afford, that's a great benefit.”
The facility includes four private visiting rooms, a group care space, a lab room and a small workspace for staff. It's staffed by an endocrinologist, a full-time nurse practitioner, a diabetes care and education specialist, a nutritionist, a medical assistant and reception staff.
But many community members approached for this story were unaware of the facility, which has been seeing patients since January. Hatipoglu said UH is working with the Cleveland Foundation to get the word out.
There was a free community diabetes education program in March, and a larger community event is planned for May to introduce MidTown residents to the center and to other resources at the Cleveland Foundation's Collaboration Center, where the 1,700-square-foot diabetes facility is located. UH is also handing out flyers and working with community leaders to build awareness of the facility, Hatipoglu added.
What's most important is building trust by working directly with the community, she said.
"I am very passionate about respecting any human beings, but especially when you go to communities that need your support to make sure you work with them, you don't do things to them," Hatipoglu said. "You decide what you're going to do with them. You understand it's a partnership, it has to be a partnership to be able to succeed."
