title: Attitudes and practices of recording diabetic patient information within an Australian general practice setting: an exploratory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An accurate diabetes register enables a general practice to effectively monitor and manage the services for their patients with diabetes. This pilot project builds on the National Primary Care Collaboratives Program (a quality improvement programme for general practice) as the first change principle for managing chronic diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main aim of the project was to improve the systems management of electronic registers of people with diabetes in the general practice setting. The pilot project assessed the uptake, awareness and confidence levels amongst practice staff in improving the diabetes register.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was completed by conducting a survey of general practitioners and practice nurses within one general practice in Perth, Western Australia. In addition, focus groups per and post intervention were facilitated to obtain practice staff's views upon the issues around maintaining an efficient and updated patient register within a busy practice setting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the end of the project the general practice had an established diabetes register with defined and agreed practice systems.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia, Claremont, Australia.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Civil
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bulsara
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karner
authors.forename: Shauna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaebler
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oslewski
mesh_terms: D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001331:Automation; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014904:Western Australia