NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Saint Peter’s University Hospital has been recognized for excellence in diabetes education, according to a press release issued by the hospital.

It has been awarded the “prestigious” American Diabetes Association’s Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program. 

The recognition lasts for four years.

The requirements for the award include having a seven-step patient education process implemented; an organization structure that includes one sponsoring organization, an advisory group, an identified population served, a designated program coordinator, and qualified personnel to carry out education; and a four-point curriculum established.

The Education Recognition Certificate comes with many benefits for the hospital, among them access to an online community, access to free educational materials for patients, and a listing on the American Diabetes Association’s website.

“The process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of services they provide,” said Renee Di Marzio, administrative director of the department of medicine at Saint Peter’s University Hospital.

“And, of course, it assures the consumer that he or she will likely receive high quality service.”

Saint Peter’s offers a diabetes self-management program, the “hallmark of care” at the Diabetes and Thyroid Center.

The center provides not only diagnosis and medication, but nutrition counseling, diagnostic continuous monitoring, exercise counseling, and psychological counseling.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, 8.2% of New Jersey residents suffered from diabetes as of 2013.