Dr. Corley leads Children’s diabetes center to national recognition

The Children’s Hospital Children’s Diabetes Center, which is headed by UNMC’s Kevin Corley, M.D., is receiving national recognition.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has awarded the program an Education Recognition Certificate for offering high quality education to children living with diabetes.

“Receiving this recognition is a wonderful honor. Our staff works diligently every day to provide the best education possible to our patients and families,” said Dr. Corley, assistant professor of pediatrics at UNMC and medical director of the children’s diabetes center at Children’s Hospital. “The children’s diabetes center has achieved continuous recognition since 1991. We take great pride in providing such an important and high-quality health care service to our community.”

“More and more children are being diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. So as we look at the long term impact, we need to make sure we are doing all we can to minimize early complications. This can be accomplished, in part, with careful monitoring and the diabetes management skills that are taught in our education program.” Kevin Corley, M.D.

The Education Recognition Certificate is a mark of approval from the American Diabetes Association, indicating the educational program meets national standards and provides an essential component of effective diabetes treatment. The Children’s Hospital program is the only pediatric-specific program recognized in the state of Nebraska.

“In providing solid education and information, we can focus on allowing the child to be a child. By that, we mean to grow, develop and experience childhood just like children who don’t have this chronic condition,” said Kathy Knowlton, coordinator of the diabetes education program at Children’s Hospital. “We teach parents to manage the condition while still allowing for a ‘normal’ childhood.”

Education and good disease management take on added importance as the number of children with diabetes continues to increase.

“More and more children are being diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Corley said. “So as we look at the long term impact, we need to make sure we are doing all we can to minimize early complications. This can be accomplished, in part, with careful monitoring and the diabetes management skills that are taught in our education program.”

Children’s Hospital recently opened an expanded endocrinology and diabetes clinic just north of 78th and Dodge at 7823 Chicago Court in Omaha.

Children’s is the primary teaching site for the family practice and joint pediatric residency programs at UNMC and Creighton University.

In 2007, UNMC and Children’s entered into a historic pediatrics affiliation agreement that will provide new and exciting opportunities to conduct cutting-edge research into childhood disorders ensuring that children and the families of this state and region will have access to the latest, most advanced care.