Diabetes Management and Treatment

Hallmark Health System is affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center, the world's preeminent diabetes research and clinical care organization.

The Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at Hallmark Health, led by Sunita Schurgin, MD, Tara Hamilton, MD and Sybil Kramer, MD offers the latest advances for treating diabetes and its complications as well as patient education and support services. Hallmark Health is one of 40 national and two international Affiliate locations and the only Joslin Affiliate in Boston's northern suburbs.

The Center at Hallmark Health offers advanced clinical care for the treatment of diabetes for patients age 18 and older, as well as patient education and support services. These include diabetes screening, comprehensive diabetes care and management, weight management and nutrition counseling. Along with expert diabetes care, these physicians will continue to provide treatment for a wide variety of other endocrinology diagnoses.

What sets us apart

Our Center is a hospital-based program that will work with a perons' needs and respond to those needs with compassion, caring and knowledgeable decisions. Unlike other hospital programs in the area, our Center gives you access to full-time employed physicians and access to certified diabetes nurse educators and nutritional support services. All of which is supported by the full depth of services offered at Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford and throughout the Hallmark Health System. Our Center is dedicated to helping adult patients with Type 1, Type 2 or gestational diabetes, thyroid diseases, osteoporosis, as well as other endocrine disorders. We also offer a goal-oriented self-management and treatment program. The overall goal is to help people with diabetes have a better quality of life by preventing any complications that often arise from diabetes including: early stage heart disease and strokes, blindness or greatly reduced vision, kidney failure, loss of nerve sensations that can interfere with mobility issues and loss of limbs.

Diabetes self management program

Did you know that diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the US and that 22 million people have diabetes? The sad truth is 11 million people don’t know it!

The good news is, when it comes to diabetes, knowledge really is power! The power to live life your way starts with good diabetes control. Taking control of diabetes is the key to improving your quality of life.

Keeping your blood sugar (also called blood glucose) levels in the normal range can make a big difference now and in the future. In the short run, you will feel better, stay healthy and have more energy. And in the long run you will lower your chances of having diabetes related problems such as eye disease, kidney disease and nerve damage. Ultimately, you will enjoy a better quality life.

We offer an outstanding diabetes education program that has been nationally recognized by the American Diabetes Association for its excellence in patient teaching methods! Our program teaches you how to manage your diabetes with immediate results that will lower your blood sugar and help you achieve long-term results. We offer programs at both campuses of Hallmark Health: the Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford and Melrose-Wakefield Hospital outpatient departments, as well as other programs and services in the community.

A comprehensive approach

There are many steps you can take to control your diabetes for life. Our action plan helps get your blood sugar under control through diet and exercise and making healthy lifestyle choices. We work with our patients and their doctors to address all aspects of diabetes management, from lifestyle and emotional issues to medical treatments and long-term health concerns.

We provide a variety of treatments and services, including:

• Consultation and treatment with board-certified endocrinologists
• A nationally recognized American Diabetes Association (ADA)  diabetes education program
• Instruction in nutrition, medication, insulin and insulin pump therapy
• Instruction in the 72 hour continuous glucose monitoring (CGMS) device
• Care for adult patients with either Type I, Type II, or Gestational Diabetes

The Diabetes Management Team

In addition to your primary care physician or specialist, you will work with our team of diabetes experts:

• Board-certified endocrinologists
• Certified diabetes nurse educators
• Registered dietitians
• Ophthalmologists
• Podiatrists

Diabetes Education for Self-Management

To learn and take control of your diabetes, the Diabetes Self Management Program includes group classes or 1:1 sessions that teaches you:

• What type of diabetes you have and how it affects you and your treatment
• Weight loss techniques and up to date methods to prevent diabetes
• Meal planning and learning about carbohydrates and their effect on you
• Weight loss strategies for both Type I and Type II
• How to test your blood sugars (or update your meter) and what do the results mean
• How to safely exercise and how much to do (with more than 25 ideas!)
• How to prevent and treat both high and low blood sugars
• How to read a food label and the “manufacturers deceptions”
• Restaurant eating issues
• How to prevent diabetes complications
• How diabetes medications work
• What to do when you are sick
• How to deal with stress of having diabetes
• General healthcare tips for feet, eyes, skin and dental care
• How to take care of yourself if you have gestational diabetes
• How to use an insulin pump
• The timing and correct use insulin

Understanding Diabetes
Click here to watch Part I
Click here to watch Part II
Click here to watch Part III

Our services

Our Center helps adults 18 and over who have been diagnosed by their primary care physicians with Type 1, Type 2 or gestational diabetes. We respond very quickly to any woman diagnosed with gestational diabetes, usually within 24 hours. We work together, as a team, with you, your family and your primary care physician to help build the most up to date medical and nutritional treatment plan for you and provide you with the information and resources you need to control your diabetes. The services we offer include:

• Diabetes nutrition management

• Blood sugar testing and monitoring

• Exercise instruction and guidance

• Medication review and education

• Insulin administration

• Travel and sick day planning and adjustments

• Insulin pump instruction, management and assistance

• Morning and evening educational classes

• Gestational diabetes nutrition and insulin teaching

Our physicians and staff

Rena LaVasseur, RN, CDE, Sunita Schurgin, MD, Tara S. Hamilton, MD

Alice DiCenzo, RN, BSN, CDE

Mary Ann Tillotson, RN, BSN, CDE

How to make referrals

Primary care providers may refer patients to the Center for any combination of services they desire. A referral request should be made to the patient's insurance carrier. Please refer to contact information below to make a referral.

Educational Classes and Support Groups

Our educational classes are offered Mondays at Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford from from 10 a.m. – Noon and Thursdays from 5 - 7 p.m. We also offer classes at 22 Corey St., Melrose on the first three Tuesdays of each month from 10 a.m. - Noon and 5 - 6:45 p.m.

Diabetes Support Group

Insurance Information

To join the Diabetes Self  Management Program; you must be referred by your primary care physician. For more information regarding coverage, please call your health insurance company prior to your first visit.

Scheduling

To make an appointment at any of our three convenient locations or for more information, please contact us at the numbers below.

information, please contact us at the numbers below.

Resources

Joslin Diabetes Center

Asian American Diabetes Initiative - Joslin Diabetes Center

Dblife