Proposed screening clinic would aim to prevent complications, improve quality of life for people with diabetes
Youville Diabetes Centre would like to see integrated, 1-stop screening clinic in Winnipeg
A proposed screening clinic for people with diabetes in Winnipeg would aim to reduce complications related to the disease such as vision loss, kidney disease and amputations, says the executive director of an existing centre that focuses on diabetes care.
"For a lot of these complications … the earlier that we can get to them or detect them, the better the chances of delaying any progression of the disease, and hopefully preventing it," said Toni Tilston-Jones, the executive director of the Youville Diabetes Centre, which wants to open a new screening clinic for eyes, kidneys and feet.
That would enable people to be screened for potential health issues under one roof, at one appointment and at no cost, she said.
Tilston-Jones said Youville already provides education and resources for people living with diabetes, including access to a team of nurses, dietitians and counselling services, but wants to do more by opening a screening clinic.
"My hope is that it reduces the number of folks that we see who are having lower limb amputations or toes amputated, or really bad infections in their feet, folks who are losing their vision," said Tilston-Jones.
The Youville centre has already brought the clinic idea to the health minister's office in the way of a briefing note, outlining how it would like to operate the clinic and why it's required.
"So we're hopeful that that's the first step, and that we can engage in some more dialogue and conversations around an integrated screening like this in Winnipeg," said Tilston-Jones.
Diabetes can lead to a number of complications that can affect different parts of the body, according to Diabetes Canada.
It recommends foot examinations for people with the disease at least once a year, and more frequently for at-risk groups. The organization also recommends annual kidney screening, as well as eye exams every one to two years, depending on the diagnosis and complication, said a spokesperson.
There's currently no one-stop screening clinic in the city for secondary complications linked to diabetes like the one proposed, said a spokesperson from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
The health authority has received the screening clinic proposal from Youville, and will continue working with the centre to assess it, the spokesperson said in a statement.
"Most primary care providers can provide assessments for kidney functions," and can test feet for loss of sensation from reduced circulation that can occur in people who have diabetes, the spokesperson said, while retinal assessment screening is referred out to a specialist.
A statement from Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said they "appreciate and applaud all and every initiative to help improve health outcomes in Manitoba."
Reducing barriers
Leanne Carriere, a registered nurse and diabetes educator at Youville Diabetes Centre, says the hope is an integrated screening clinic would help reduce barriers to getting screening.
Some people living with diabetes aren't getting screened as frequently as they should be, for a variety of reasons, including not having a primary care provider or issues finding transportation, she said.
"Lots of people with diabetes who are currently experiencing these complications are doing so unnecessarily," said Carriere. "If it's detected early and treated early, then you can really stop that progression."
Providing that access would mean improved quality of life for people with diabetes and reduce the impact on the health-care system overall, she said.
WATCH | How the clinic would improve quality of life for people with diabetes:
Ana Kazakevitch, another diabetes education nurse at Youville, also sees people who end up living with complications that could have been avoided with improved screening.
"We see it and we see how it could be prevented," said Kazakevitch, who also works in the community as a nurse.
In a report published last month examining diabetes and lower-limb amputations, the Canadian Institute for Health Information said Manitoba saw more than double the national average of diabetes-associated leg amputations between 2020 and 2023.
Up to 85 per cent of leg amputations are preventable, according to the report, titled Equity in Diabetes Care.
It also said lower limb complications were more common for people who live in neighbourhoods with lower income, lower high school completion and higher social deprivation, as well as in rural and remote communities.
Tilston-Jones says the proposed screening clinic would prioritize equity-deserving populations.
The health minister's statement said the province is making investments in its diabetes action plan to improve prevention, detection and management, and has also launched a school nutrition program to ensure "access to healthy meals throughout the day."
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