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"I love it when patients come in and they bring their list of questions, or they ask me ‘Should I have this test?’ or ‘Why are we doing this?’ That makes the relationship, that makes managing this chronic problem together, a lot better."

‒ Dr. E. Harry Walker
MetroHealth Center for Community Health

Did You Know?

Merely thinking about getting a salad instead of french fries can satisfy intentions to eat healthily, but it makes it easier to go ahead and order fries after all, new research shows. Researchers found that people were substantially more likely to choose the least-healthy option on a menu, such as a cheeseburger or ice cream, when the menu included a single more virtuous option, such as a veggie burger or fruit. Read the full story.

Checkup Report > Part Two : Better Health's Diabetes Checkup - Regional Results > Overall Achievement on Summary Standards and Individual Standards

Overall Achievement on Summary Standards and Individual Standards

Figures 1 and 2 highlight the region’s overall achievement on our Summary Outcome Standard, its 5 component standards, and our Summary Process Standard and its 4 component standards. Included are 23,461 patients of the 30 partner practices at Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and The MetroHealth System.

Figure 1. Region-wide Achievement on Better Health’s Summary Outcome Standard and its Five Component Standards. 2007

As described previously, achievement on our Summary Outcome Standard reflects the percentage of our patients with diabetes who meet 4 or more of our 5 Outcome Standards. Overall, 38% of our patients met this target in 2007, with 62% meeting 3 or fewer standards. Achievement on individual standards varied. Collectively, 83% had target LDL cholesterol levels (less than 100) and/or were prescribed a statin medication; 83% were documented non-smokers; 68% had target Hemoglobin A1c levels (less than 8); 49% had target blood pressure levels (lower than 140/80), and only 31% met target levels for weight control (Body Mass Index below 30).

Figure 2. Region-wide Achievement on Better Health’s Summary Process Standard and its Four Component Standards. 2007

Overall achievement on our Summary Process Standard and its component standards was somewhat better. Collectively, 46% of our patients met all 4 Process Standard targets in 2007, with 54% meeting 3 or fewer standards. By individual standard, 93% had one or more A1c test obtained, 88% had a urine test for kidney problems or were on medications to delay kidney failure, 75% had a documented Pneumococcal vaccination, and 65% had a documented eye examination during 2007. As mentioned previously, it is likely that the rate of eye examinations was probably higher than we report here due to undocumented examinations outside of our partner practices (especially at MetroHealth and Cleveland Clinic), but the magnitude of this under-reporting is not known.