(Diabetes care in general practice: meta-analysis of randomised control trials)
Since 1970 increasing numbers of family doctors in the UK have assumed responsibility for the routine review of their patients with diabetes. Evaluation of the care received in the community (as opposed to hospital) has, however, produced conflicting results. In this week's BMJ, Dr Simon Griffin from the University of Southampton reports that selected primary care teams, when supported by a central computerised prompting system (for both doctor and patient) were able to achieve standards of care as good as or better than hospital outpatient follow up, at least in the short term. He concludes by suggesting that the cost effectiveness of general practice diabetes care needs longer term evaluation.
Contact:
Dr Simon Griffin, University Lecturer, General Practice and Primary Care Research Unit, Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge