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Education, Care & Research

Fortunately, the American Diabetes Association has established National Standards for Diabetes Care. You already know that good medical care is very important when you have diabetes. But how do you know if you are getting good care? The American Diabetes Association establishes and publishes standards or guidelines for diabetes care—these can give your doctor the most up-to-date information as well as assure you that you are getting the best care possible.

These guidelines have been modified for easier understanding, and are called the “Bill of Rights for Patients with Diabetes” as well as the “Diabetes Warranty Program.” The following Bill of Rights for Patients with Diabetes is from the Texas Diabetes Council Texas Department of Health, as published in the September 1999 issue of Practical Diabetology:

Your Rights:

• Have a treatment plan and objectives.
• Be able to self-monitor blood glucose.
• Have access to treatment for special problems and emergencies.
• Have access to diabetes education—both for you and your family.
• Be able to obtain information on social help and other economics of diabetes.

At least once a year, you must have:

• A proper eye examination.
• Renal (kidney) function tests.
• Your healthcare professional review your blood glucose monitoring technique and insulin injection technique (if applicable) to ensure they are proper.
  

At every visit, you must have:

• Proper examination of the lower extremities.
• Risk factors-- such as blood pressure, lipids, and smoking-- evaluated (Smoking is discouraged).
• A registered dietitian should meet with you and be sure that your meal plan is appropriate.

Your Responsibilities:

• Follow the advice of your healthcare professionals and control your diabetes on a daily basis.
• Follow a healthy lifestyle.
• Discuss any questions that you may have with your healthcare team.
• Prepare your questions ahead of time so that you will not forget them.
• Be sure that answers are provided clearly and that you understand them.
• Examine your feet on a daily basis.

Diabetes Warranty Program

Dr. Steven Edelman, founder of the organization TCOYD, describes the standards for diabetes care as being similar to the warranty program you get with your new car. The challenge is in the maintenance schedule you must follow. You can read more about this in the related links below.