Northern Light Endocrinology and Diabetes Care
Contact
Phone: 207-400-8500
Fax: 207-400-8508
Location
144 State Street
Floor 4
Portland, Maine 04101-3795
The Mattina R. Proctor Diabetes Center at Mercy offers high quality, comprehensive care for those who have been diagnosed with diabetes.The practice is led by Medical Director John Devlin, MD. Our diabetes team consists of physicians, nurse practitioners, and certified diabetes educators who are either registered nurses or registered dietitians. Together, we have created a program to help you and your loved ones gain the knowledge, skills, and sense of empowerment necessary to become active participants in your diabetes care.
Our outpatient education program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association for meeting the national standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education. The program’s goals are to help people with diabetes improve self-care behavior, overall health, and quality of life. After participants meet individually with a certified diabetes educator, an individualized education plan is developed to help meet personal diabetes goals.
Topics discussed include:
- Diabetes disease process
- Healthy food choices and meal-planning
- Incorporating physical activity into lifestyle
- Using medications, if applicable, for maximum benefit
- Monitoring blood glucose and using the results to improve control
- Preventing, detecting, and treating complications
- Goal setting and problem solving to promote health for daily living
- Help in supporting adjustment to daily life
- Promoting diabetes care prior to and during pregnancy
- Periodic reassessment and follow-up to offer continued education and support
- Intensive diabetes management training/insulin adjustment
- Insulin pump training and management
- Continuous glucose monitoring training and 7 day trials
Patients should obtain a referral from their primary care doctor before scheduling diabetes services.
Our Team
John Devlin, MD
Dr. Devlin graduated from Cornell University Medical College, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at MMC. He spent two years as a National Health Service Corps Physician in Eastport, Maine. Then he completed a fellowship in Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Vermont. Dr. Devlin currenty divides his clinical time between serving as director of the Mattina R. Proctor Diabetes Center and as consulting physician at the Togus VAMC and MaineGeneral Medical Center. He and his wife, Diane, enjoy spending time in the outdoors, and visiting their two children. Dr. Devlin is an independent contractor of Mercy Hospital.
Hillary O'Donnell, MS, RD, CDE
Hillary O’Donnell, MS, RD, LD grew up in Connecticut and moved to Maine after earning her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Connecticut. She earned her Master of Science degree in nutrition from the University of Maine, and completed her clinical training at Mercy Hospital and MMC. She has taught a college-level nutrition course for nurses, and has worked with a variety of patients as a cardiovascular dietitian for Eastern Maine Medical Center. Hillary joined the Mattina R. Proctor Diabetes Center at Mercy Hospital in 2013. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Diabetes Association, and the Maine Association of Diabetes Educators. In her free time she enjoys rock climbing, surfing and walking with her dog.
Diabetes is one of the fastest growing illnesses affecting Americans today. It is a disease in which the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes glucose (sugar) to build up in the blood stream. Before a diagnosis of diabetes, you may notice that you need to urinate more often than usual, feel unusually thirsty, have suddenly lost weight, or are feeling tired all the time.
Mercy can help. It can be very overwhelming to be told you have diabetes, especially as you consider how you will manage it at home. You don’t have to do this alone! Our team at the Mattina R. Proctor Diabetes Center at Mercy Hospital includes physicians, nurse practitioners, certified diabetes educators, registered nurses, and registered dietitians who are all dedicated to helping you adjust to life with diabetes. Our highly qualified team will accurately diagnose, treat, and teach you the skills you need to know to best manage diabetes so that you can live a healthy and productive life.
Education Programs
First Steps
(One hour appointment) We assess learning needs and self-care behaviors, review health history, medications, and develop a plan of care.
Eating Well with Diabetes
(Two hour class) We teach the relationship between food and blood glucose level and proven recommendations to manage blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight. In addition, you will learn 3 specific tools that can be used to assess and modify any meal.
Living Well with Diabetes
(Three hour class) Comprehensive Diabetes Self-Management Education includes learning how to prevent short-term and long-term complications, blood glucose monitoring interpretation, medications, stress management, and physical activity. This class includes education on how to set goals and make behavior changes.
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)
(One hour appointment) MNT includes a thorough assessment by a registered dietician followed by individualized meal planning recommendations based on nutrition needs. Education sessions for carbohydrate counting, gluten-free adjustments for Celiac disease, and surgical weight loss preparation are also available. The Eating Well with Diabetes class is recommended prior to this appointment.
Additional Education
Pre-diabetes (90 minute class): Learn how to prevent diabetes!
Insulin pump exploration (2 hour class): Learn how pump therapy works and what training is involved.
Insulin pump training, initiation, and on-going management, continuous glucose monitoring training (personal and 7-day trials), blood glucose meter training, and insulin instruction and adjustments.
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