A clinical path for adult diabetes.
The use of clinical paths for patient care management was explored by this development team as a mechanism to provide consistent, high-quality care to hospitalized patients in high-volume, high-risk diagnostic categories. Reviewing the historical aspects and importance of clinical paths helped expand the team's perspective to incorporate pre- and posthospitalization phases of patient care into the clinical path being developed. A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, health educators, and dietitians from both inpatient and outpatient departments of Kaiser-Santa Teresa Medical Center in San Jose, California, devised and implemented an Adult Diabetes Mellitus care path. Staff education preceded the implementation of the care paths. Measurements of quality indicators showed improvements in patient satisfaction, patient education, patient knowledge, and nutrition assessments.
Courtney
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The Department of Hospital Nursing, Kaiser Permanente Santa Teresa Medical Center, San Jose, California (Ms Courtney)
Gordon
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The Depart­ment of Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Santa Teresa Medical Center, San Jose, California (Dr Gordon)
Romer
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L
The Department of Health Education, Kaiser Permanente Santa Teresa Medical Center, San Jose, California (Ms Romer)
D000328:Adult; D019091:Critical Pathways; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education