Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with diabetes? SIU Medicine wants to increase awareness during American Diabetes Month by sharing some important information about diabetes. Keep reading to learn more about this all-too-common condition. A diabetes diagnosis Diabetes mellitus affects approximately 1 in 10 people in the United States. The percentage of adults with diabetes increases with age, occurring in about 30% of individuals ages 65 years and older. Diabetes is serious. It is the seventh leading cause of death, the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure, and the second leading

Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with diabetes? SIU Medicine wants to increase awareness during American Diabetes Month by sharing some important information about diabetes. Keep reading to learn more about this all-too-common condition. A diabetes diagnosis Diabetes mellitus affects approximately 1 in 10 people in the United States. The percentage of adults with diabetes increases with age, occurring in about 30% of individuals ages 65 years and older. Diabetes is serious. It is the seventh leading cause of death, the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure, and the second leading

Mel Kuntemeier is a caregiver and current volunteer at the Smith Alzheimer’s Center’s Beyond the Medical Center programs. If you would like to submit a question for the next column, please email care@siumed.edu.

Virtual health care options have become much more widespread in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Most Illinois residents can now access telehealth services from their home or workplace. A patient can use an app on their phone to call, message or video chat with a health care provider who can assess their symptoms and give advice. What is telehealth? Telehealth (or telemedicine) is a method of receiving medical care using common communication technology to deliver advanced medical, educational and research information to patients and practitioners. Telehealth activities can be conducted

Vaccination is an important tool in preventing the spread of monkeypox. For the Springfield region, the Sangamon County Department of Public Health has expanded eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine. Expanded eligibility criteria are as follows: Anyone regardless of sex, gender, or sexual orientation who: Had recent skin-to-skin contact or intimate contact with someone diagnosed with monkeypox. Exchanged goods or services for sex in the last six months. Is living with HIV, especially persons with uncontrolled or advanced HIV disease. Is eligible to take or currently taking PrEP (pre-exposure

On September 16, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced new appointments to state boards and commissions. Don Diemer, PA, DHSc, was appointed to serve as a member of the Illinois State Medical Board. Diemer is the program director for the Physician Assistant Program and Doctor of Medical Science Program at SIU School of Medicine. He also serves as a physician assistant for Rural Health Inc. Previously, Diemer served as the associate program director for the Physician Assistant Program at Texas Tech University. Diemer served in the United States Air Force for more than 20 years as a captain

On September 16, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced new appointments to state boards and commissions. Don Diemer, PA, DHSc, was appointed to serve as a member of the Illinois State Medical Board. Diemer is the program director for the Physician Assistant Program and Doctor of Medical Science Program at SIU School of Medicine. He also serves as a physician assistant for Rural Health Inc. Previously, Diemer served as the associate program director for the Physician Assistant Program at Texas Tech University. Diemer served in the United States Air Force for more than 20 years as a captain

On September 16, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced new appointments to state boards and commissions. Don Diemer, PA, DHSc, was appointed to serve as a member of the Illinois State Medical Board. Diemer is the program director for the Physician Assistant Program and Doctor of Medical Science Program at SIU School of Medicine. He also serves as a physician assistant for Rural Health Inc. Previously, Diemer served as the associate program director for the Physician Assistant Program at Texas Tech University. Diemer served in the United States Air Force for more than 20 years as a captain

When telehealth — sometimes called telemedicine — was introduced to SIU School of Medicine providers and patients in 1995, it was viewed as the next leap forward in the medical school’s mission to provide health care.