Yet numerous studies have shown that diabetes care is often far from optimal. Management tends to be fragmented and inefficient, falling far short of adherence to published guidelines. It is inherently difficult to translate current knowledge into the labor-intensive actions required to achieve good diabetes outcomes. In the absence of a systematic approach to data tracking in relation to targets, it is difficult for the busy physician or other health care provider to maintain each patient's care at the optimal level, let alone to determine effectiveness in achieving management goals for a patient population. Very few diabetes care providers have significant data on their overall performance, but they will increasingly recognize the need for such data in order to remain competitive in today's healthcare market.
Information is power.
As the costs to Medicare, managed care and other health insurance companies increase, healthcare providers are coming under intense pressure to reduce costs and improve quality. Targeted goals and compliance with guidelines based on evidence-based medical principles will be the most efficient method of providing quality diabetes care. Managed care was founded to manage the cost of medical care and quality. The former has been achieved but the other half of the equation has been more elusive. DiaTrends is a database program that tracks the processes and outcomes of care in people with diabetes.