Patient Education
MaineHealth has developed a comprehensive Diabetes in Pregnancy Program in conjunction with Maternal-Fetal Medicine, a division of Maine Medical Partners — Women’s Health.
Before Your First Appointment
We will contact you to schedule an appointment within 48 hours of receiving a referral from your primary care physician. You’ll receive new patient information by mail that includes forms to complete before your appointment.
Helpful items to bring to your first appointment:
- A list of your current medications (including doses)
- Recent lab work you may have from your primary care physician’s office
- Your glucose meter and food or blood glucose logs you keep (diabetes patients only)
Patients who are evaluated by one of our endocrinologists may also be seen by a physician-in-training. If you would prefer not to see a physician-in-training, please let us know before your appointment.
Diabetes can be hard to control without support and education. Many studies have shown how important is it for patients to learn to manage their diabetes themselves. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says it “is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes.” The ADA has national standards for education, and Maine Medical Partners — Endocrinology & Diabetes Center follows those standards and maintains certification to offer this education.
Diabetes classes at Maine Medical Partners — Endocrinology & Diabetes Center are taught by certified diabetes educators or educators who are working towards certification. They may be registered dietitians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, or other health care providers who have been teaching diabetes classes for at least 2,000 hours, and have passed a qualifying exam.
Classes are designed for both the person with diabetes or pre-diabetes and their support person. For those who find a classroom setting challenging, education is available one-on-one.
Most of the classes, unless noted otherwise, are covered by major insurance companies, but you should check with your insurance company to be sure.
Eating Well with Diabetes
This class is for people with diabetes who want to learn how to eat healthy, based on their current lifestyles and medications. This two-hour session offers participants the basic information needed to understand how different food groups affect diabetes. Our registered dietitians will discuss recommended daily allowances of all food groups, vitamins and nutrients. They will offer suggestions on how to plan meals and snacks to feel satisfied while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This class is highly recommended for anyone newly diagnosed with diabetes, or anyone who has not had a refresher for several years.
Pre-Diabetes
People diagnosed with pre-diabetes can make positive changes in their lives now to avoid getting diabetes. This two-hour class will review the most effective, proven methods – healthy eating and regular physical activity. Our registered dietitian will review tips for modifying existing eating habits and safely adding or increasing your current activity level. Most insurance companies do not cover education for pre-diabetes. This class is offered for $5.00.
Diabetes Self-Management Education
This six-hour class is offered the second Thursday of every month. Participants can ask questions, talk with others with type 2 diabetes, and learn about self-management from our certified diabetes educators. Our educators use a variety of teaching methods to review what diabetes is, complications of diabetes, managing diabetes day to day, and how to watch for possible complications. The class topics include a review of how sugar is used in the body, what's different in your life with diabetes, problems with high blood sugar, symptoms and management of low blood sugar, exercise, medication, the role of stress and stress management, foot care, blood sugar testing (and what the numbers mean), regular tests to screen for complications, and sick day guidelines. The subject is serious, but our educators are known for making this a fun-filled and informative program.
Pump Exploration
For people considering an insulin pump, this class is an important first step. In this two-hour class one of our certified diabetes educators will discuss the steps to become a pump candidate. They will review terms used with pump therapy, and participants will have hands-on time with different pumps on the market today. Following the class, everyone is encouraged to meet with a registered nurse to review what they learned. This class is open to existing Maine Medical Partners – Endocrinology & Diabetes Center patients.
Diabetes Follow-up
These quarterly classes are open to participants in the Diabetes Self-Management Classes. The focus of these 90-minute follow-up classes is to review participants’ progress on their goals, to discuss changing behaviors, and to help set new goals. Taught by a registered dietitian and registered nurse, this class is a great opportunity to get answers for questions about diabetes. Participants in the follow-up classes are highly successful in managing their diabetes. Most insurance companies cover this class; however, we recommend checking with your insurance company.
Gestational Diabetes
This weekly class is offered to women newly diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The two-hour class is designed to help women have a successful pregnancy. Taught by one of our registered dietitians and our nurse practitioner, the class covers what gestational diabetes means for women and their babies, and how to eat healthy and maintain blood sugar that’s as close to normal as possible.
Two of Maine Medical Partners’ specialty practices have combined their resources to create the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program. Maine Medical Partners – Women’s Health and Maine Medical Partners – Endocrinology & Diabetes Center work together in a new way to meet the needs of pregnant patients with diabetes. Our goal is to reduce the risks for women who were diabetic before they became pregnant and for those who become diabetic during their pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
The team includes a coordinator, nurse practitioner, diabetes nurse educator, registered dietitian and physicians skilled in complicated pregnancies (perinatologists).
Our services include counseling before conception, training for managing gestational diabetes, including weekly gestational diabetes classes taught by a family nurse practitioner and registered dietician/certified diabetes educator, medical nutrition therapy, appointments with an endocrinologist or nurse practitioner, follow up phone calls, and follow up visits after delivering your baby.
Is this program for you?
- Do you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are considering a pregnancy or are already pregnant?
- Are you pregnant and have developed gestational diabetes?
- Did you have gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy and are you pregnant again or considering a pregnancy?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, please talk to your primary care physician about referring you to the Diabetes & Pregnancy Program.
In addition to our Scarborough campus, providers are available to see diabetes patients at the following locations:
MaineGeneral Medical Center
157 Capitol St.
Augusta, ME 04330
The Diabetes Nutrition Center (call for diabetes education services)
Phone: (207) 621-9320
Fax: (207) 621-9322
Central Scheduling (call for physician consultation services)
Phone: (207) 626-1050
Diabetes & Endocrinology Associates of York Hospital
12 Hospital Drive, Suite A
York, ME 03909
Phone: (207) 351-3733
Miranda Center for Diabetes & Endocrinology at Memorial Hospital
3073 White Mountain Highway
North Conway, NH 03860
Phone: (603) 356-4949
Mid Coast Center for Diabetes & Endocrinology
81 Medical Center Drive
Brunswick, ME 04011
Phone: (207) 406-7290
There are plenty of resources available for patients living with diabetes and other endocrine conditions. We’ve put together a list of the websites below that we’ve found to be the most helpful and reliable.