ABSTRACT
RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Doctor compliance with diabetic care guidelines is low and may be improved with system-wide changes that include patient involvement. The objective of this study was to determine if patients in an internal medicine teaching clinic would use a touch-screen computer to receive personalized information regarding their need for diabetes care. Outcomes included determining if this intervention would improve resident doctor compliance with diabetic guidelines. METHODS: In this prospective study a computer was available for patients to use independently in one clinic, while another computer was placed in a second clinic with nursing support. Patients responding they were diabetic to the first screen received screens covering HbA1c, blood pressure, cholesterol, foot, eye examinations and compliance with having labs drawn. Non-diabetic patients received three general health screens. A response-based report was printed for patients to share with their doctor. Chart reviews were conducted to assess diabetic health care delivery. RESULTS: The computer was used voluntarily by 20.6% of patients in the primary clinic and by 100% of patients in the nurse-assisted clinic. A total of 104 patients from both clinics responded they were diabetic; over 50% did not know what HbA1c meant and a minority responded their HbA1c, blood pressure and cholesterol were at good levels. Significantly more HbA1c tests conducted within 6 months were documented in patients' charts. DISCUSSION: Patients used the computer effectively without direction in the primary clinic. In this initial study, implementation of the computer program increased the number of HbA1c tests ordered. Future studies incorporating refinements may increase both usage and efficacy of this intervention.
Subject(s)
Computer-Assisted Instruction , Diabetes Mellitus/therapy , Guideline Adherence , Patient Education as Topic , Patient Participation , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Adult , Blood Pressure , Chi-Square Distribution , Female , Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Humans , Male , Prospective Studies , Self Care , User-Computer InterfaceABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To review the literature regarding the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with diabetes mellitus. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE (1967-June 2003) and bibliographic search of the English-language literature was conducted using the search terms diabetes mellitus, asymptomatic, bacteriuria, and urinary tract infection. DATA SYNTHESIS: ASB occurs in diabetic women more commonly than in non-diabetics and is associated with an increased risk of symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) among patients with type 2 diabetes. Symptomatic UTIs tend to follow a more complicated course in diabetics. Despite these independent observations, antimicrobial therapy has not been shown to reduce symptomatic UTIs, pyelonephritis, or hospitalization for UTI. CONCLUSIONS: Available evidence does not support antimicrobial treatment of ASB among patients with diabetes mellitus.
Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary/therapeutic use , Bacteriuria , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Bacteriuria/complications , Bacteriuria/drug therapy , Bacteriuria/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Incidence , Middle AgedABSTRACT
We assessed the bacterial contamination of the pagers of healthcare personnel and the efficacy of disinfection with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Microorganisms were isolated from all pagers; 21% yielded Staphylococcus aureus, of which 14% were methicillin resistant. Cleaning with alcohol reduced the total colony count by an average of 94%. Bacterial load varied by healthcare worker group and service assignment.
