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Expanded Diabetes Center Opens At UMMC Midtown Campus

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Some new cutting edge technology for the University of Maryland Medical Center as it dedicates a new expanded Center for Diabetes.

Ron Matz has more on the big moment.

A large crowd turned out for the dedication at the University of Maryland Medical Center's Midtown Campus on Linden Avenue.

"This is a very important day for Baltimore, West Baltimore, and the state of Maryland.  We are opening a state-of-the art diabetes, obesity and endocrine clinic.  This will transform the Midtown Campus into one of the most spectacular and signature programs in the region," said Stephen Davis, Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland.

It will be a comprehensive outpatient program on the second floor of the main hospital on Linden Avenue.

"It's a great opportunity.  We have a great vision of what we can do with the center and how we can help the people of Baltimore and the surrounding areas," said Kristi Silver, acting director of the Center for Diabetes at UMMC.

The community-based center will have cutting-edge research in one convenient location: the former Maryland General Hospital.

In Maryland, an estimated half million people have diabetes, including more than 100,000 who have not been diagnosed.

"Diabetes has increased by 50 percent in the last three years in the United States and Maryland and will continue to increase," said Davis.  "It's estimated 100 million people, or a third of the U.S. population, will have diabetes or be overweight or obese."

"Diabetes is an exploding disease, particularly when you look at the statistics in the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland.  The rate of growth is beyond the national average," said Jeffrey Rivest, CEO of the University of Maryland Medical Center.  "We also want to be responsive to the trends that are changing in health care that really emphasize that outpatient management of a chronic disease."

The expanded Center for Diabetes at the UMMC Midtown Campus has a triage area, a patient education area and 17 exam rooms.

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