Meritus Diabetes Education
Diabetes Services in Hagerstown
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you know how hard it is to make changes to your diet, increase daily activity and control blood sugar levels—and unlike other diseases, diabetes cannot be controlled by medication alone. Diabetes education gives you the power to control the disease and lead a healthy life.
Meritus Diabetes Education is a comprehensive resource for people diagnosed with diabetes, prediabetes or for those who want nutritional assistance.
Robinwood Professional Center
11110 Medical Campus Road
Hagerstown, MD 21742
301-790-9187
Diabetes Self-Management Program
The Diabetes Self-Management Program can help you manage your diabetes and feel your best. Our diabetes self-management program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association as a program of excellence. The program is taught by Certified diabetes educators including a registered nurse and registered dietitians who can meet with you individually and/or in groups to address all of your concerns and needs related to diabetes care. They are available to help you whether you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes, have questions or concerns about your diabetes plan or how your diabetes has changed over time.
If you struggle to control your blood sugar, have recently been diagnosed with diabetes or your condition has changed over time, we offer a comprehensive diabetes self-management program led by certified diabetes educators. The self-management program includes guidance on:
- Healthy eating, meal planning and carbohydrate counting
- Physical exercise for controlling blood glucose
- How to avoid diabetes complications
- Blood sugar monitoring and effects of foods on blood sugar
- Medication management
- Controlling stress
- Insulin injection training
- Weight control
- Diabetes and pregnancy
Diabetes self-management program is covered by Medicare and most insurance plans for patients who have been diagnosed with diabetes. To register, please have your physician fax a referral form to 301-790-9425. For more information, call 301-790-9187.
Living Well with Diabetes
Living Well with Diabetes is a six-week, evidence-based workshop designed for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This free program is particularly helpful for those who have attended previous diabetes self-management education, but require additional help controlling their blood sugar. Participants learn all aspects of daily diabetes self-management including healthy eating, diabetes medications, physical activity and communicating with doctors.
Call Meritus Health at 301-790-8964 to register.
Prediabetes Prevention Program
Diabetes Prevention Program is a FREE lifestyle change program for people diagnosed with prediabetes. Prediabetes can often be reversed. Join this CDC-recognized diabetes prevention program and learn how to eat healthy and add physical activity to your day. Call 301-790-8907 to register.
Nutrition Counseling
Nutrition Counseling, led by a registered dietitian, provides a variety of hands-on nutrition education sessions to help you learn how to:
- Eat healthy foods and plan meals
- Count carbohydrates to encourage weight loss or control blood sugar
- Lose weight safely and successfully
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Address eating concerns related to diabetes and comorbidities associated with diabetes such as renal disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obesity management
To register, please have your physician fax a referral form to 301-790-9425. For more information, call 301-790-9187.
Our Team
Blanca Mejia, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian. She earned her graduate degree from Central University of Ecuador and has experience in nutrition and diabetes counseling. She is active with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and an active professional member of the American Diabetes Association. Her work includes medical nutrition therapy and diabetes self-management education, focusing on lifestyle changes to promote healthy patient outcomes. She is also bilingual, speaking Spanish and English.
Beth Guthrie, BSN, RN is a diabetes educator. She earned her nursing degree from Shenandoah University, as well as earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Ohio Northern University. She has over twenty years of nursing experience, including medical-surgical, post cardiac care, care management, and wound care. She is a member of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
Elizabeth Tomalis, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian. She earned her graduate degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and has more than two decades of experience in nutrition. Her work includes medical nutrition therapy and diabetes self-management education, focusing on lifestyle changes to promote healthy patient outcomes.
