FMA Journal Publishes New State Guidelines for Diabetes Treatment.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BW HealthWire)--Sept. 21, 1998--According to articles in the current issue of The Journal of the Florida Medical Association (JFMA), diabetes is Florida's sixth leading cause of death and nearly half a million Floridians don't even know they have it.

"Diabetes is not a specialty disease and no organ or organ system is exempt. Diabetes is a total body disease," wrote JFMA editor J. Darrell Shea, MD.

Recognizing the potential impact of the disease, the Florida Legislature mandated development of standards for diabetes management. The result is the Diabetes Medical Practice Guidelines which is published in full in the JFMA along with articles on diabetes treatment.

Designed to assist health care professionals provide optimum care for patients, the guidelines were developed by the Agency for Health Care Administration (ACHA) in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Department of Health (DOH), the FMA and other medical organizations and professionals.

"These guidelines are the result of a successful public and private partnership," said Florida Department of Health Secretary James T. Howell, MD. "This is an excellent example of what can be achieved when organizations work together to improve the public's health."

In addition to individual health implications, the cost of diabetes in Florida exceeds $8.5 billion a year and 15 percent of the nation's health care dollar is being spent on diabetes.

"The goal of the new Diabetes Practice Guidelines," said Pauline Ellis director of Programs and Government Relations for the American Diabetes Association, "is to improve care for people with diabetes and to reduce the incidence of the many costly and life-threatening complications of the disease."

The ADA also believes that the financial burden of diabetes will be reduced by preventing or delaying the onset of the costly complications of the disease through screening and early intervention.

"Heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputation are common complications of diabetes -- complications that can be avoided or more easily treated with good diabetes management and earlier detection," according to Ellis.

The issue, which has been distributed to 25,000 physicians and other medical professionals in the state, also includes articles to provide additional in-depth management information for health care providers. Copies are also being distributed to various specialty groups and organizations. A limited number of extra copies are available at a cost of $7.35 each (includes tax, shipping and handling) pre-paid. The order form is available on the Florida Medical Network at www.flmed.net, or may be requested by e-mail at [e-mail] or by fax at 850/222-8030.

Information about diabetes is available from the American Diabetes Association by calling 1-800-DIABETES or by visiting the association's web site at www.diabetes.org.

The publication was funded through grants from the ADA, the DOH, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Inc., Boehringer Mannheim, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Eli Lilly & Co., Hoechst Marion Roussel, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Inc., Parke-Davis, Partners for Diabetes of the Tallahassee Memorial Foundation, and SmithKline Beecham.