Diabetes

Services

BMC’s Diabetes Services is an integral part of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition and Weight Management located on the second floor of the Preston Family Building. The 4,500 square-foot clinic provides an integrated service to address our patients’ needs.

Learn about our Outpatient Program including Comprehensive Diabetes Management and our Diabetes Education Program.

Learn about other services including Continuous Glucose Monitoring System, Insulin Pumps, Inpatient Adult Diabetes Service, Diabetes and Pregnancy Program, and Foot Care and Vascular Disease Program.

Outpatient Program

Our outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Education Program is designed to help you and your primary care provider maintain good control of blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol through education, medication, monitoring, and nutrition and exercise recommendations. These behaviors may be challenging to establish but research has shown that even small changes can lead to helpful improvements. Boston Medical Center offers comprehensive diabetes care in conjunction with nutrition, podiatry, ophthalmology, cardiology and dental services.

Comprehensive Diabetes Management 

Our team approach to ongoing diabetes management includes individualized health evaluations by an endocrinologist or diabetes nurse practitioner, Certified Diabetes Educators (including nurses and dietitians.) Your diabetes team will work with your primary care physician to prepare a plan tailored to your unique circumstances. Diabetes care is individualized and there may be times when more or less intensive support may be needed. The comprehensive diabetes management track is flexible and is based on your changing diabetes care needs. Your primary care physician can also refer you for a one time consultation with an endocrinologist and then resume the care of your diabetes.

Our Diabetes Self-Management Education Program was established in 1993 and has maintained ongoing recognition by the American Diabetes Association. Education is an essential part of health care, especially for those living with diabetes. Our education goals are aimed at enhancing diabetes self-care knowledge and skills, supporting behavioral change, promoting general health and reducing the risk of complications associated with diabetes. We also act as a resource to the hospital and the community.

Diabetes Group Education Class

Our Certified Diabetes Educators provide a one-time group education class called “Get On Track.” This class takes place every Monday at 3:00 pm. in our clinic conference room and requires a referral from your provider.

This class is for patients who:

• Are new to Diabetes
• Have had diabetes for many years but want to learn the most up-to-date diabetes information
• Need to update their diabetes management skills

We gladly welcome new participants to attend our diabetes group class. Please call us if you are interested.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)

CGM uses a special glucose sensor, worn discreetly under the skin and wirelessly sends  blood sugar values to a receiver every five minutes for up to seven days. The sensor data shows blood sugar trends and patterns and gives you high and low blood sugar alerts. This information can be used to design an individualized diabetes treatment plan for each patient.

Insulin Pumps

Insulin pump therapy provides another way to optimize control for patients with diabetes. Pump therapy provides convenience and flexibility for those who do not want a to administer injections and follow a fixed meal schedule. Insulin pumps are not appropriate for everyone. Your diabetes team can help you decide if you a candidate for insulin pump therapy

Inpatient Adult Diabetes Service

Clinical research has identified hyperglycemia as a factor that increases length of stay, hospital complications and even inpatient mortality. Our inpatient program is designed to meet current national standards for glycemic control in hospitalized patients, for those with known diabetes, and those with newly identified hyperglycemia. We can initiate insulin therapy in the hospital if appropriate, teaching all the necessary skills for independent management. We utilize a team of endocrinologists and nurse practitioners who follow patients throughout their stay. Our goal is to improve the transition from inpatient care to outpatient care while designing an individualized regimen.

Diabetes and Pregnancy Program

High risk patients with diabetes during pregnancy require very intensive glucose control and close management during their pregnancy and immediately after delivery, to reduce the risk of complications to the mother and baby. Our special program for the management of diabetes during pregnancy is led by Boston Medical Center’s obstetricians. This program is designed for mothers who develop diabetes during pregnancy (a condition called gestational diabetes) and those women who have diabetes before they become pregnant.

Foot Care and Vascular Disease Program

The Diabetes Services Program works closely with Boston Medical Center’s foot care specialists and the vascular specialists in BMC’s cardiovascular program. Our goal is to reduce the risk of ulcers, infections and amputations, and to aggressively treat these problems when they occur. This is accomplished with improved glucose control, restoration of circulation to the leg when it is impaired, and with advanced wound healing techniques.