Quality [r]evolution in diabetes care

To implement the St. Vincent Declaration Action Programme, initiatives have been started in the quality development of diabetes care across Europe. The main elements of the quality development cycle implemented in our hospital were realized by the use of the software package ‘CamitPro’ and participation in ‘the DiabCare Q-net NL’ network. From 1997 to 1999, 955, 1468, and 1624 patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 were integrated in the DiabCare Q-net NL network by using ‘CamitPro’ software, respectively. These patients showed substantial improvement in all of the clinical measures monitored. In addition, there was a drop in HbA1c level. From 1997 to 1999, an HbA1c interval of 5.1%–8.3% (mean up to mean +4SD) was recorded for 66%, 76% and 81% of the patients, respectively. An extension of the use of the software to a pan-European level should markedly improve diabetes care throughout the community.