Prevention and Chronic Condition Management:
Diabetes Care: Monitoring Nephropathy
What are we measuring and why?
Diabetes is a serious chronic illness which has become an epidemic in the United States. Diabetes affects the entire body, partly through its potentially harmful effects on blood vessels and organs. In particular, diabetes can severely damage the kidneys by causing a condition called diabetic nephropathy. Early detection and prevention of damage to kidney function is critical for patients. One early sign of kidney damage is too much protein in the urine. This can be easily detected by analyzing a urine sample. Often, a medication can be given to the patient to help prevent this problem even before it develops.
How are we doing and how do we compare to best practice?
For this measure, the national 90th percentile and the Massachusetts State average are both 90%. Our practices score a 91%, exceeding both of these benchmarks.
What are we doing to improve?
Partners physicians use the reminders and scheduling systems that work best to make sure patients have regular microalbumin urine tests done, and to make sure patients are on the right medications to manage their diabetes. Systems making this easier are the electronic medical record that contains tools that physicians use to identify and then remind patients when they are due for their urine test. The system can also identify patients for whom physicians should consider prescribing a medication to help prevent kidney problems before they start.
Partners Community Healthcare, Inc. (PCHI) is the network of primary care and specialty physicians and other health professionals who make up our ambulatory care network. To learn more about PCHI, please visit the About Partners page of this web site.
Charts for Diabetes Care: Monitoring Nephropathy
- Current Scores
- Current Scores
Diabetes Care: Monitoring Nephropathy
Partners HealthCare Data Period: January 2010 - December 2010
Partners HealthCare Source: Partners Community HealthCare, Inc.
Mass. State Average Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
National 90th Percentile Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
Diabetes Care: Monitoring Nephropathy
Partners HealthCare Data Period: January 2010 - December 2010
Partners HealthCare Source: Partners Community HealthCare, Inc.
Mass. State Average Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
National 90th Percentile Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners