SOUTH TEXAS HEALTH SYSTEM PARTNERING WITH PROMINENCE HEALTH TO HELP FIGHT DIABETES EPIDEMIC WITH ANNUAL PREVENT, TREAT & BEAT DIABETES SYMPOSIUM
To raise awareness of a condition affecting the Rio Grande Valley, STHS & Prominence Health will host the free conference and expo to help prevent, treat & beat diabetes in our communities
With a high number of cases across the United States, diabetes awareness is more important than ever before. A staggering 34.2 million Americans – about 10% of the U.S. population – have diabetes, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 86 million adults living with prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
In the Rio Grande Valley, the incidence of diabetes is higher than in the rest of the nation. From 2012 to 2022, the chronic condition affected 45% of residents in the four-county region, with screening rates exceeding the national average, per the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
While diabetes can be prevented through a healthy diet and exercise, it’s important to know the risk factors and warning signs and symptoms, as well as understand the best practices for daily management of the condition.
To help educate and empower Rio Grande Valley residents to take steps to prevent, delay or manage the condition, South Texas Health System is partnering with Prominence Health to host their annual Prevent, Treat & Beat Diabetes Symposium, a conference and expo for the entire family aimed at helping the community keep their health in check through educational seminars, interactive exercise and cooking demonstrations and no-cost health checks and screenings.
“One of the most important aspects of raising diabetes awareness is providing a support system for those living with or at risk for the life-threatening condition,” says Tom Castaneda, System Director of Marketing and Public Relations, STHS. “This annual symposium is part of the proactive measures STHS and Prominence Health are taking to inform and educate the communities we serve about the dangers of diabetes, as well as the importance of early detection of the conditions to help prevent serious health complications.”
Taking place on Saturday, March 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the South Texas College Nursing & Allied Health Campus (Bldg. B), located at 1901 S. McColl Rd. in McAllen, the symposium will arm attendees with the tools they will need to prevent, treat and beat diabetes through healthy lifestyle choices, management of risk factors and more.
The free conference is open to the public and will feature a special expo with no cost health checks and screenings, as well as information on resources available locally to help Valley residents fight diabetes. For more information on the Prevent, Treat & Beat Diabetes Symposium, visit sthseducation.com.
Who: South Texas Health System & Prominence Health
What: Prevent, Treat & Beat Diabetes Symposium
When: Saturday, March 29 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Nursing & Allied Health Campus (Building B) South Texas College 1901 S. McColl Rd. McAllen, TX. 78503
About South Texas Health System
South Texas Health System is a multi-facility healthcare system serving patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The system includes four acute care facility campuses with specialties in pediatrics, heart and vascular services, maternity and women’s health and trauma services. Inpatient and outpatient treatment for behavioral health needs and addictive disorders is also provided through the system's South Texas Health System Behavioral facility. South Texas Health System is affiliated with the South Texas Clinical Partners ACO, Prominence Health Plan and Cornerstone Regional Hospital. The system operates an advanced Level I Trauma Center at South Texas Health System McAllen, the first and only freestanding children’s facility and pediatric ER at South Texas Health System Children’s, the region’s only freestanding heart hospital and specialized cardiac ER at South Texas Health System Heart, and seven freestanding emergency rooms located in and around Weslaco, Mission, Edinburg, McAllen, Pharr and Alamo. For more information about the system and its comprehensive services, please visit www.southtexashealthsystem.com.
About Prominence Health
Prominence Health began in 1993 as a health maintenance organization (HMO) and became a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) in 2014. They provide coverage to more than 60,000 fully insured, self-funded and Medicare Advantage members throughout Nevada and parts of Texas. Prominence operates seven Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in California, Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Washington D.C., which are managed care systems that benefit communities by providing coordinated, high-quality care to Medicare patients. For more information about Prominence Health, visit ProminenceHealthPlan.com or ProminenceMedicare.com.
