BELFAST — Waldo County General Hospital will begin offering diabetic foot care clinics for patients beginning early this fall.

The day-long clinics, which will run by appointment only out of the hospital’s diabetes care offices at 119 Northport Ave., in Belfast, will provide foot care including nail trimming, callous removal and wound identification. The practice plans to offer clinics once or twice a month, depending on patient volume.

This new service is part of Waldo’s ongoing expansion of services that has included the growth of Community Health programs like in-practice food pantry shelves and the Community Health Worker program, the expansion earlier this year of the hospital’s Family Medicine practice, which nearly tripled its number of patient rooms and added onsite lab and behavioral health services, and the expansion of Waldo’s Orthopedics practice last year.

The Diabetes Services team, made up of providers Jessica Hafford, DNP; Benjamin Mason, FNP; as well as three registered nurses and two registered dietitians, help patients with making lifestyle changes, medication management, blood glucose self-monitoring and evaluation, insulin pump therapy and training, as well as eye and foot care.

“It’s important for people with diabetes to have someone with expertise provide them foot care as they are at a higher risk for loss of sensation in their feet, fungus in the nails, and other infections,” said Hafford, in a news release

While the practice has always performed diabetic foot exams, they are excited to begin offering diabetic foot care clinics later this year. According to Hafford, many patients are in need of the kind of routine, preventive foot and nail care these clinics will provide.

“We see this need a lot in our community,” said Hafford. “There aren’t a lot of providers who specialize in diabetic foot care, and it’s important for patients to be seen in a timely manner so that issues can be addressed before they become more serious. The addition of these monthly clinics will help us meet the demand.”

Dates and times for the upcoming foot care clinics will be shared with patients and on the hospital’s Facebook page as they are scheduled.

According to Diabetes Services Practice Manager Dionne Mills, the ability to offer diabetic eye exams in the office has been another great local benefit to patients. This important screening looks for signs of damage to small blood vessels in the retina, a condition called diabetic retinopathy. When caught early, steps can be taken to prevent the damage from progressing. Mills said the in-office exams are quick and easy for patients, who would otherwise have to schedule an additional appointment with an eye doctor for this type of exam.

“We’ve had a lot of critical cases come back from these exams, where the patient had no idea there was anything wrong,” said Mills, who noted that it’s recommended that diabetic patients have their eyes checked every year. “We’re happy we’re able to make it easier for patients to complete these exams.”

The providers at Diabetes Services typically work with patients with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes with an A1C over 9. Hemoglobin A1C is a blood test that measures a person’s average blood sugar levels and is used as a tool to monitor how well-controlled a patient’s diabetes is over time. Regardless of A1C, anyone with a diabetes diagnosis, including gestational diabetes, can be referred for education or to work with one of the registered dietitians. Additionally, any MaineHealth health patient can schedule a diabetic eye exam at Diabetes Services.

“Whether they’re coming in with a new diagnosis or are familiar faces we’ve worked with for years, our goal is to keep our patients healthy and feeling their best,” said Mills.

To learn more about WCMP Diabetes Services, call 505-4369 or visit wcgh.org.

Waldo County General Hospital is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit wcgh.org.