Quality of diabetes care in community health centers.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the quality of diabetes care in community health centers.


METHODS
In 55 midwestern community health centers, we reviewed the charts of 2865 diabetic adults for American Diabetes Association measures of quality.


RESULTS
On average, 70% of the patients in each community health center had measurements of glycosylated hemoglobin, 26% had dilated eye examinations, 66% had diet intervention, and 51% received foot care. The average glycosylated hemoglobin value per community health center was 8.6%. Practice guidelines were independently associated with higher quality of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Rates of adherence to process measures of quality were relatively low among community health centers, compared with the targets established by the American Diabetes Association.
Chin
M H
MH
Department of Medicine and Health Studies, University of Chicago, Ill. 60637, USA. mchin@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
Auerbach
S B
SB
Cook
S
S
Harrison
J F
JF
Koppert
J
J
Jin
L
L
Thiel
F
F
Karrison
T G
TG
Harrand
A G
AG
Schaefer
C T
CT
Takashima
H T
HT
Egbert
N
N
Chiu
S C
SC
McNabb
W L
WL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000517:prevention & control; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011787:Quality of Health Care
D001786:Blood Glucose