Diabetes forum: Australia's GPs on the right track

07 November 2003

The quality of care and health outcomes for patients with chronic disease will be the focus of a two day forum on diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Sydney next Monday and Tuesday (10-11th November 2003). Conference chair, Professor Mark Harris, from the UNSW Centre for GP Integration Studies, said that the meeting will be about results not theories. Highlights include:

GP management of diabetes in Australia has improved over the last three years. Improvements occurred in all the health outcome indicators used to manage diabetes except for weight (BMI). This includes long-term blood sugar control (glycated haemoglobin levels), blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney function (microalbumin) and foot and eye checks. The improvement in glycaemic control was seven percent.

"These results are send an important message to both GPs and the community about the management of diabetes," said Professor Mark Harris, Professor of General Practice from UNSW. "People can have confidence in their GP and work in partnership with them to improve their quality of life and prevent the onset of the serious complications that can arise from diabetes such as blindness, amputations and renal impairment."

Joan Burns of the UNSW Centre for GP Integration Studies will use the forum to release the results of a three year project looking at the quality of care and health outcomes of diabetes and CVD provided by GPs.

What: The 2003 National Divisions Diabetes Forum Action on Quality Conference
When: Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 November 2003
Where: Sydney Marriott Hotel, 36 College Street, Sydney

CONTACT DETAILS: Centre for General Practice Integration Studies, UNSW