Improving Access to Quality Care: Diabetes Clinic in the West End
Now Open
It’s not unusual for Dr. A. O’tayo Lalude to
see young patients with diabetes. The
family medicine specialist has been
practicing in Louisville’s West End community
for more than 21 years and has seen the disease
become a silent but deadly epidemic. It is now estimated that
one-quarter of the population in this area has either diabetes or the
precursors to the disease, which can lead to debilitating vision, circulation,
heart and kidney problems.
The fact is that African-Americans in Louisville have a 74 percent higher death rate from diabetes than do whites — a startling and unacceptable statistic. To reverse the trend, the Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Foundation has partnered with Dr. Lalude to develop funding for a Diabetes Clinic and Outreach Program based in his top-notch office at 25th and Market Streets.
Dr. Lalude has the credentials to carry off this ambitious endeavor. The Nigerian native is a nationally renowned diabetes expert who has been featured in U.S. News & World Report and USA Today. In fact, he is a member of an elite class of doctors known as “Bridges to Excellence,” which identifies and rewards physicians who achieve excellent outcomes in caring for patients with diabetes.
Education, Outreach and Treatment
Under Dr. Lalude’s leadership, Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare has created a comprehensive clinic focused on education, outreach and treatment. A registered nurse who is trained as a diabetes educator works with Dr. Lalude and a panel of physician specialists, such as podiatrists and ophthalmologists, to offer “one-stop” care in a convenient, accessible location. In addition, the team partners with local churches and civic organizations to educate and screen the community to help detect diabetes in its early stages.The goal is simple but challenging: to provide the resources to help people in West Louisville prevent complications from diabetes and lead healthy lives.
