January 13, 2009 More than 150,000 Albertans have diabetes – that’s one in every 20.
People with diabetes tend to use health services two to three times more than other individuals.
Those with diabetes have a greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, eye disease and mental health disorders.
It’s sobering news, but the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network (PCN) and Capital Health are working to address the high rates of diabetes. .
“In partnership with Capital Health, we’ve developed an electronic registry that helps identify patients in the community with diabetes and pre-diabetes,” says Dr. Jim Bell, Physician Lead, Chronic Disease Management, St. Albert and Sturgeon PCN.
“Using this system, we know there are at least 2,600 patients living in St. Albert and area who have diabetes, and another 600 are high risk for getting diabetes.”
That information is proving invaluable for the PCN multidisciplinary team, which includes family physicians, nurses, mental health coordinators, a dietitian, lactation consultant and pharmacist. The system can track when a patient is due for a blood test, eye exam or kidney function test.
“This initiative allows us to start working with patients before they get diabetes,” says Dr. Bell.
All 50 family physicians in the St. Albert and Sturgeon’s Primary Care Network are participating in the electronic registry. The registry will help improve care for people with diabetes, ensuring their health status and outcomes, are tracked over time.
The electronic database dovetails nicely into one of the programs offered by the St. Albert and Sturgeon PCN – Live Better Every Day – which teaches people how to live with their chronic disease and manage everyday challenges.
Live Better Every Day is just one of many programs offered by the PCN in partnership with Capital Health. Other programs include Steady As You Go, Healthy Aging, Success Over Stress, Anxiety, Heart Healthy, Menopause, Boosting Your Memory, Healthy Minds – Healthy Moms and Smoking Cessation.
Photo cutline: Dr. Allan McDonald, President, St. Albert and Sturgeon PCN accepts a plaque from the Honourable Ken Kowalski, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and MLA Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock in recognition of the opening of the PCN’s Morinville clinic.