Oaklawn is combining endocrinology and diabetes care at Wright Medical Building

MARSHALL — Patients who visit Oaklawn medical providers for issues focusing on diabetes and endocrinology are being directed to a combined, centrally situated office.

Beginning Aug. 1, Oaklawn Medical Group — Endocrinology and Diabetes Care will be based in Suite 2A of the Wright Medical Building at 215 E. Mansion St. Appointments may be made by calling (269) 558-0710.

As part of the move, Oaklawn’s Outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Education Program will be incorporated at the new office, according to Oaklawn officials.

“The decision to combine our endocrinology and diabetes-care teams into one office was made to improve health outcomes for patients,” Dr. Summer Liston-Crandall, Oaklawn’s chief medical officer.

“Many endocrinology patients are diabetic and will benefit from the additional resources that our comprehensive diabetes team offers,” she said. “Patients will have access to our endocrinology staff along with nurse-educators, nutritionists and a pharmacist all in one office.”

The diabetes-care team includes nursing, nutrition and pharmacy staff who have been trained to provide care for Type I , Type II, pregnancy-related diabetes and pre-diabetes, Liston-Crandall explained.

“Having a close collaboration between these services will assist in care-coordination efforts to achieve more effective care for our patients,” she said.

Endocrinology services formerly had been based at Marshall Internal & Family Medicine at 720 N. US-27. Moving the services from that location will permit additional space for expansion of pediatrics services there, Oaklawn officials said.

Oaklawn Medical Group – Endocrinology specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of hormone imbalances including diabetes, thyroid disease, metabolic disorders, bone and growth irregularities, menopause, obesity, hypertension and other ailments stemming from the over or under production of hormones.

“The overall goal of treatment is to restore the body’s normal balance of hormones,” said Jeanette Sullivan, FNP-BC, a family nurse practitioner who is a member of the endocrinology staff.

Oaklawn’s diabetes education program, which offers monthly diabetes education classes. is accredited by the American Association of Diabetes Educators and is certified through the State of Michigan’s Department of Community Health.

Oaklawn’s diabetes educators work in coordination with the patient as well as the patient’s endocrinologist and primary-care physician to develop a program that will help the patient manage his or her life with diabetes.

Group classes are offered monthly. Those interested in registering for classes or obtaining more information may call (269) 558-0710.

Individual education sessions are available based on specific needs for instruction on insulin injection, blood glucose monitoring and meal planning.