At Pikeville Medical Center (PMC), diabetes care encompasses more than just managing blood sugar. The medical center employs a multidisciplinary approach that leverages the expertise of providers across multiple departments. In addition to Endocrinology, specialties such as Family Medicine, Wound Care, Podiatry and OB/GYN each contribute to addressing the many ways diabetes can affect the body. This integrated approach allows providers to focus on the whole patient, treating both the condition and any complications that may arise. Whether it is managing chronic wounds, supporting healthy pregnancies or addressing nerve and foot issues, PMC offers care tailored to each patient’s needs.

Education is also a critical part of PMC’s diabetes care strategy. With diabetes being one of the most common and impactful health issues in the region, PMC provides a variety of educational resources, including diabetes management classes, gestational and pre-pregnancy classes, and a monthly diabetes support group designed to connect patients with ongoing encouragement and guidance. Diabetes Care Specialist and Diabetes Educator Mavis Lowe, MSN, APRN, places a strong emphasis on equipping patients and their families with the knowledge they need to manage the condition effectively. Lowe specializes in Endocrinology, along with Diabetes Care and Education.

PMC’s monthly diabetes support group generally meets on the last Monday of each month from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM in café room #3 on the 11 floor of the hospital. All members of the community are welcome to attend to learn about diabetes care and management and receive extra guidance on their journey.

To learn more about diabetes care and education at Pikeville Medical Center, visit www.pikevillehospital.org/diabetes-care or call (606) 430-8120.

PMC is proud to welcome Endocrinologist Dr. Marvin Bishop, MD, MBA, to the PMC Endocrinology team. Dr. Bishop is board-certified in Endocrinology, Internal Medicine, and Addiction Medicine, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the region. He received his education and training from highly accredited and nationally recognized institutions, including the University of Kentucky and the University of Cincinnati Hospital.

In addition, PMC is pleased to welcome Susana Carter, MSN, APRN, to the Endocrinology team. Carter specializes in Endocrinology care and holds degrees in both Biology and Nursing. She also brings a wide range of certifications and clinical skills in nursing care.

Dr. Bishop and Carter work closely with Diabetes Care Specialist and Diabetes Educator Mavis Lowe, MSN, APRN, to diagnose and treat a variety of endocrine-related conditions, including hormone imbalances, fertility issues, thyroid disorders, and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

With a shared commitment to excellence, the PMC Endocrinology team combines advanced clinical knowledge with compassionate, patient-centered care to improve outcomes for individuals across the region.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, talk to your doctor about a referral or visit www.pikevillehospital.org.

Because diabetes can be silent for many years with few or no symptoms, many patients have no idea they are at a higher risk of developing long-term complications that can affect their eyes, nerves, kidneys and other parts of their body. According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 7.3 million cases remain undiagnosed, and about 88 million adults have prediabetes, putting them at serious risk of developing diabetes. With such staggering statistics, it’s clear that diabetes awareness is essential. Health experts and community leaders use November as a time to collaborate and promote knowledge about diabetes risk factors, prevention, symptoms and management strategies.

Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) staffs an experienced diabetes education team dedicated to supporting patients with diabetes. This team works with patients and their families to offer information through comprehensive diabetes education programs.

The PMC Diabetes Support Group offers emotional and practical support to those living with the condition, providing a safe space to share experiences and tips for managing diabetes. Members find the support group beneficial during the holidays when temptations to overindulge are typically at their highest and managing blood sugar levels are particularly challenging.

The holiday season, which kicks off with Thanksgiving and extends through the new year, is synonymous with celebrations, gatherings and opportunities to indulge in delicious, often sugary foods. By sharing knowledge, promoting healthier choices and offering support, the hope is that more people will be able to enjoy the festive season with their health in mind.

For more information about the PMC Diabetes Education program, visit pikevillehospital.org/diabetes-education/.

Because diabetes can be silent for many years with few or no symptoms, many patients have no idea they are at a higher risk of developing long-term complications that can affect their eyes, nerves, kidneys and other parts of their body. According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 7.3 million cases remain undiagnosed, and about 88 million adults have prediabetes, putting them at serious risk of developing diabetes. With such staggering statistics, it’s clear that diabetes awareness is essential. Health experts and community leaders use November as a time to collaborate and promote knowledge about diabetes risk factors, prevention, symptoms and management strategies.

Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) staffs an experienced diabetes education team dedicated to supporting patients with diabetes. This team works with patients and their families to offer information through comprehensive diabetes education programs.

The PMC Diabetes Support Group offers emotional and practical support to those living with the condition, providing a safe space to share experiences and tips for managing diabetes. Members find the support group beneficial during the holidays when temptations to overindulge are typically at their highest and managing blood sugar levels is particularly challenging.

The holiday season, which kicks off with Thanksgiving and extends through the new year, is synonymous with celebrations, gatherings and opportunities to indulge in delicious, often sugary foods. By sharing knowledge, promoting healthier choices and offering support, the hope is that more people will be able to enjoy the festive season with their health in mind.

In the simplest terms, diabetes is a disease that occurs when a person’s blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. If not managed properly, it can severely damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart. Diabetes, specifically type 2, has greatly affected the health of many of the people living in Eastern Kentucky in a negative way. From increased probability of serious health problems to drastic escalation in medical bills, the effects of type 2 diabetes can be felt in thousands of households throughout the region.

Type 2 diabetes, which is more common in older adults, can be worsened by several factors including smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure or poor nutrition and diet. Although there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, patients can make decisions to manage it better, including eating well, losing weight and exercising. Left untreated, diabetes may lead to additional, serious health problems including hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, loss of teeth, depression, arthritis, asthma, stroke and even death.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes :

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Increased hunger
• Slow-healing sores
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Unintended weight loss
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

Patients experiencing these symptoms are encouraged to contact their family practice provider. For more information on Diabetes Care at Pikeville Medical Center, scan the code provided:

An estimated 6.5 million people in the United States are faced with wounds that do not heal after several weeks, and many of those live in Eastern Kentucky. The Wound Center at Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) provides specialized treatment and offers an aggressive, multi-disciplinary approach to treating chronic and non-healing wounds that have resisted other treatments.

PMC’s Board Certified physicians Mariano E. Rivera, DPM, and Timothy Wright, DO, FACOS, work together with a dedicated staff to provide a comprehensive approach to wound care. The two physicians specialize in treating non-healing wounds, particularly prevalent among diabetic patients.

A patient who has a wound that has not begun to heal after two weeks or has not entirely healed within six weeks may benefit from advanced wound care modalities offered at the PMC Wound Center such as:

• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
• Cellular tissue-based products & bio-engineered skin grafting
• Total contact casting
• Compression wrapping
• Advanced wound dressings

Successful wound care is a combination of several treatments that work together to achieve healing.
Indications that specialized wound care may be necessary include:
• Diabetic Ulcers
• Neuropathic Ulcers
• Pressure Ulcers
• Venous Insufficiency
• Ischemic Ulcers
• Traumatic Wounds
• Surgical Wounds
• Osteomyelitis

As a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and board-certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Johnson is passionate about helping people achieve a healthy lifestyle. PMC’s Weight Loss Surgery Department is accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), who set national standards for bariatric surgery centers with a goal of advancing safe and high-quality care for bariatric surgery patients.

Dr. Johnson’s experience, expertise and compassion for her patients raises the bar for weight loss surgery at PMC. Her goals in surgically treating morbid obesity are to eliminate or significantly improve medical problems that plague this patient population. “Pike, Letcher and Floyd counties have an obesity rate of nearly 43 percent compared to the national average of around 30 percent,” Dr. Johnson explained. “Weight loss surgery is a solution that has a profoundly positive effect on many other aspects of a patient’s health.”

Elevated rates of diabetes go hand-in-hand with the increase in obesity in central Appalachia. Dr. Johnson believes that the discussion about obesity needs to change to address other medical conditions, and treating obesity with surgery is the best way to prevent a diabetes epidemic in our region.

“Whether you need to lose a little or a lot of weight, we have a plan for you,” said Dr. Johnson. For more information about PMC’s Weight Loss Surgery Department or to make an appointment, please visit https://www.pmcweightlosssurgery.com or call 606-430-2205.