October is national breast cancer awareness month and we all know how early detection saves lives. The ADA originated the standards of care in 1988, and they have been evolving ever since, providing clinicians, patients, researchers, payers and other interested individuals with the components of diabetes care. These standards of care provide the treatment goals and tools to evaluate the quality of care in an effort to improve management for those with diabetes.
While reading a recent article, a New York Times analysis of CDC data found that in New York and New Jersey alone from March 15 to May 2, 800 more people died of diabetes than would have been expected based on data from prior years. As CDCES, we all feel that one preventable death is too much. In thinking about this data, what innovative ideas do we have to encourage our patients to follow through with their diabetes care? Things such as: A1C, nephrology checks, dilated eye exams and making and showing for their diabetes care appointments? People have had multiple reasons during Covid times for not for seeking healthcare, but now more than ever, their good health and lives depend it.
LuAnn Berry