Doctors and Patients Doing Better at Managing Diabetes

Doctors and patients doing better at managing diabetes? This I've got to see. I must confess when I first saw this last year, I was intrigued and wanted to know more. That is why I am re-visiting the topic to see if there is something new on the issue.

For one thing that news article made me happy. Why? Because the last report of the health quality group that examined the care of diabetics in the Cleveland area indicated both the doctors and the patients are a little better at managing the condition. If this keeps improving, complications can all be eradicated. I hope they will also evaluate the diabetes care in all areas of the US.

You see in Cleveland area, the health quality group started studying the care the diabetic patients received. Their latest report was that the doctors and patients were doing slightly better at managing the condition. The keyword here is slightly and I am not too happy with that.

The Better Health Greater Cleveland also found that half of approximately 25,000 diabetic patients received a pneumonia vaccine. They also received recommended tests for blood glucose and kidney and eye problems. Although half is not good enough, still Cleveland is doing well for its effort to even track this issue. I doubt if other cities are doing this.

Back to the study findings, around 40% met the standards for blood glucose, cholesterol control, blood pressure and other measures. By the following year, there was a slight improvement. There Is that word again that I do not like. But you know what? There is something else that makes me really, really feel bad.

The slight improvement was not found among the patients who were uninsured. The same is true for those who are on Medicaid. This is the health plan the government has for the poor. This group's success at meeting the standards for blood glucose control and blood glucose is much lower. Doesn't this make you sad? For although I have excellent health care insurance, I am not comfortable when others do not have it.

At least with the new Obama Health Plan, things may get better. Better Health Greater Cleveland should be commended though for checking the clinical care of patients in order to improve the quality. With this in mind, the complications from diabetes will of course be reduced. And this is only possible with better help between doctors and patients.