Jean B. Purvis Community Health Center has partnered with Abbott Laboratories to provide continuous glucose management (CGM) systems to community members struggling with diabetes.

The health center was able to purchase a few systems with the help of a PNC Foundation grant, and has been offering diabetic, underinsured community members two-week trials with the CGM system free of charge.

The FreeStyle Libre 2 CGM system includes a sensor which attaches to the arm and monitors blood glucose and a monitor that tracks a patient's levels as it's waved over the sensor.

Linda Reichart, health and wellness director at the center, said they began testing the systems on patients in March 2021.

For two weeks at a time, patients would monitor themselves with the CGM. Based on the numbers received, Reichart and her staff would adjust the patient's care to help maintain healthy glucose levels.

“Patients without the sensor would take years to get (such good numbers),” Reichart said.

The sensory system allows patients to become more active in their diabetes care. Tammy Baumgarten, one of the first patients to use the system, said it has been life-changing.

“It takes the mystery of sugars out of it,” Baumgarten said. “It's easy and painless. Without (the clinic) I wouldn't have gotten this far.”

In addition to allowing community access to CGM systems, Reichart holds weekly diabetes management courses on carb counting, reading nutrition labels and dining out with diabetes.

“Diabetes is the third largest diagnosis at our clinic,” Reichart said. “We try to have everyone coming in and trying these.”

The Health Center offers services free of charge for community members underinsured and without insurance and assists in transitioning them to long- term health care. They are completely funded by grants, private donations and fundraisers.

For more information on Jean B. Purvis Community Health Center, visit its website at butlerhealthclinic.org.