Physician Documentation of Diabetes Care

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Abstract
We assessed two interventions designed to improve the care of patients with diabetes mellitus by documenting the complications of their disease. These were a flow sheet, included with outpatient medical records, and a weekly patient education clinic, in which a nurse educator provided individualized instruction to patients with diabetes. Physician compliance with recommendations of the National Diabetes Advisory Board for diabetes care was measured before (n = 45) and after (n = 158) these interventions. The numbers of referrals to ophthalmologists increased from 22% to 46%, urinalyses increased from 58% to 77%, and lower extremity examinations increased from 36% to 61%. Nutrition education documentation increased from 51% to 69%, and diabetes education documentation increased from 31% to 61%. These results suggest that a significant improvement in physicians' documentation of care of patients with diabetes can be achieved by using a flow sheet and a diabetes patient education clinic.

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