Research has found that there may be a gap between what is recommended treatment and actual practice. Family physicians play a special role in helping to control the many ill effects of the disease, according to SMS President Sandra L. Osborn, MD, a Madison pediatrician. Blindness, kidney disease and stroke are among the health threats diabetics face if this disease is not properly controlled.
Family physicians are in a position to catch early warning signs and prevent serious complications.
Unfortunately, many diabetics continue to suffer from serious health problems that might have been prevented. A study published in the current issue of the WMJ finds 6,597 patients, whose principal diagnosis was diabetes, were discharged from Wisconsin hospitals during 1996. The research also offers perspective on the human suffering associated with the disease, and how it can be reduced through more effective management. The State Medical Society, established in 1841, is the first and largest physician and patient advocacy association in the state, representing nearly 8,500 member physicians and their patients.