FOR RELEASE (PHOTO ATTACHED):
November 10, 2011
Catawba Valley Medical Center Clinician Receives National Recognition for
Providing Quality Diabetes Care
HICKORY, NC – The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recently awarded Recognition
to Dr. Christopher Witke of Viewmont Family Medicine for providing quality
care to his patients with diabetes.
The Diabetes Recognition Program aims to improve the overall quality of
care that patients with diabetes receive by recognizing clinicians who
deliver quality diabetes care, and by motivating other clinicians to document
and improve their delivery of diabetes care. To receive recognition, which
is valid for three years, Dr. Witke submitted data that demonstrates performance
that meets the Program’s key diabetes care measures. These measures
include eye exams, blood pressure tests, nutrition therapy and patient
satisfaction, among others. When people with diabetes receive quality
care as outlined by these measures, they are less likely to suffer complications
such as heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputations.
“For a person with diabetes, the right clinician can make the difference
between living
withdiabetes as opposed to suffering
from diabetes,” said Richard M. Bergenstal, MD, President, Medicine &
Science, American Diabetes Association. “Clinicians who earn recognition
through the Diabetes Recognition Program have an established track record
of providing excellent diabetes care. The list of recognized clinicians
is the first place to look if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with
diabetes.”
To find out if your clinician has been recognized by the Diabetes Recognition
Program or for further information, please visit
http://www.ncqa.org/dprp or e-mail
drp@ncqa.org. To order application materials, call 888/275-7585 or order online at
http://www.ncqa.org/drppubs.
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects the body’s ability to
produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood sugar
to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. An estimated 16
million Americans have diabetes; it is the sixth-leading cause of death
by disease in the U.S. and it has no cure.
The NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health
care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care
organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas
of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information
Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool
in health care. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information
for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers.
The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading voluntary
health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy.
Founded in 1940, the Association has offices in every region of the country,
providing services to more than 800 communities.
Viewmont Family Medicine is part of Catawba Valley Medical Group. It is
located at 221 13th Avenue Place, NW, Suite 202 in Hickory. Dr. Shane Summers and Dr. Christopher
Witke are accepting new patients. To make an appointment, call 828/324-1699.
Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, N.C., is the region’s largest
not-for-profit, public healthcare system and serves the community without
direct funding from taxes. CVMC provides and promotes physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving
as a center for health education, wellness services, preventive medicine
and acute care. CVMC has received three Magnet designations from the American
Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized for providing “An
Outstanding Inpatient Experience” for a fourth consecutive year
by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, please visit
http://www.catawbavalleymedical.org.