The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska (PTN) Diabetes Program has been a recipient of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Grant for the past 24 years, since 1998. The PTN has a unique Service Delivery Area that consists of fifteen federally-designated counties in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa, and has offices located in Niobrara, Norfolk, Lincoln, and Omaha, NE and Sioux City, IA. Currently, the tribe serves a user population at their health clinics of 3,875 and a total of 270 patients with diabetes. The Diabetes Program has shown success in providing programs for diabetes prevention and to reduce the risk for complications within the diabetes population. The PTN has three clinics located in Norfolk, Lincoln and Omaha that are fully equipped facilities with staff needed to provide the services of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. From 2002 to present, the PTN Diabetes Program has increased the percent of diabetes patients with an A1C <7% from 31% to 37%, with 65% of our diabetic patients having an A1c <8%. All data will be collected and gathered and used in accordance with the grant requirements.
The adult and youth tribal members residing in the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska service site areas have fallen into today's trend of a high rate of physical inactivity. Over 96% of our diabetic population have been identified as being overweight or obese. For FY23 the PTN Diabetes Program has chosen Diabetes Education as our Best Practice. Diabetes Staff will focus on patients who have a diagnosis of diabetes and provide diabetes and nutrition education opportunities to those patients. Patients will be provided diabetes education through one-on-one nutrition education visits, case management visits, lunch and learns, Medical Nutrition Therapy, cooking classes, support groups, and provider visits. It is the goal of the Diabetes Program to utilize the Diabetes Best Practice in order to lower diabetes complications, obesity rates and increase the number of diabetes patients with controlled diabetes.
In addition to the Diabetes Best Practice the diabetes program will also provide Nurse Foot Care services at the Norfolk, Lincoln and Omaha clinics. The Diabetes Program has been providing Nurse Foot Care services since 2011.
A major success over the last 17 years for the Diabetes Program has been providing healthy community activities diabetes prevention, and physical activity opportunities to our tribal members. Annual Pow-wows, Fun Runs, Health Fairs, Diabetes Awareness Days, and exercise promotions bring large amounts of tribal members together to be educated on diabetes and participate in physical activities. The Diabetes Program will again this year continue to do these types of activities to encourage healthy lifestyles among its population.
In recent years it has been identified that case management is a vital part in providing quality care to our patients with diabetes. Even with the benefit of having three health clinics and providers that care for our patients, some require extra attention and services to ensure they are meeting the IHS Standards of Care for Diabetes. The Registered Dietitians will provide Case Management services by provider referral to patients with diabetes in all of our service site areas. Primary focus will be on patients with an A1C >9% and/or patients who have not been receiving their regularly scheduled check-ups. Patient Care will be coordinated with the providers at the Norfolk, Lincoln and Omaha Clinics.
In conclusion, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Program has assisted in provided quality health services and diabetes prevention activities to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska service population for 24 years. The Diabetes Program strives to continue to fight the war on diabetes.