Expanding on Cumberland Healthcare’s long tradition of educating the community naturally shifted this year. The year 2020 has been a catalyst for virtual care and that includes diabetic prevention programming at Cumberland Healthcare. Working with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health and the Chronic Disease Prevention Program, Cumberland Healthcare’s Diabetic Prevention Program has become one of only three accredited programs in the state to work toward virtual group classes and the first to begin offering them. 
Virtual classes have allowed participants to continue to receive high quality education, support each other, and interact with healthcare professionals on a variety of topics to help them slow or prevent the progression toward diabetes. Since going virtual, class sizes have doubled, and attendance has remained near 100%. Participants report convenience and the continued opportunity to connect with others as the main contributors to improved attendance. 

Cumberland Healthcare’s Diabetic Prevention Program is recognized by the CDC and approved for reimbursement by Medicare utilizing the Prevent T2 curriculum. There are currently only three healthcare systems in the state with both approvals and Cumberland Healthcare was the first to bill Medicare. This is a big win for Wisconsin.  The first 12 months of the program consist of 26 sessions of education on healthy eating, physical activity, stress management, and problem solving through trained lifestyle coaches. Goals for individual participants are personalized and include achieving and then maintaining a 5-9% weight loss, successful attendance of sessions, and 150 minutes of weekly exercise. The program reduces the development of type 2 diabetes in at-risk individuals between 58-78% depending on individual factors.  
Cumberland Healthcare continues to be a leader in improving the health and wellbeing of the community by collaborating with educators, community service, and business organizations.  Cumberland Healthcare works across traditional boundaries to develop patient-centered practices that help make lifelong quality care accessible and affordable. Cumberland Healthcare is proud to be here for our patients in offering diabetes prevention programming virtually.