Positive move by Minister on care for people with diabetes
AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the AMA welcomes Health Minister Nicola Roxon’s revised approach to implementing a new scheme for care for people with diabetes.
Dr Pesce said the Minister has consulted closely with the AMA and the medical profession and has proposed a trial of the scheme so it can be properly assessed and evaluated.
“The AMA supports good evidence being the basis for decisions on health policy,” Dr Pesce said.
“Just as there are robust trials for clinical research there must be robust trials on health service policy, which incorporate valid and reliable methodology.
“The AMA did not believe there was a proper evidence base underpinning the Government’s original proposal for care for people with diabetes.
“A reliable and valid trial will take the politics out of the debate and ensure that decisions on health service delivery are made based on evidence to support good patient outcomes.
“The AMA has agreed to be a member of a ‘design group’ to help put together, oversee, and evaluate the trial.
“We commend the Minister for seeking and including clinical input to this trial,” Dr Pesce said.
12 November 2010
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AMA National Conference 2012
Poll
AMA Annual Report 2011
Federal Budget Submission 2012-13
Traffic Light Food Labelling - The Evidence
Diabetes
Let us see discussions and models for diabetes care also include child and adolescent diabetes. What the Minister was proposing was contrary to the models of care recommended in the NH&MRC guidelines for child and adolescent diabetes.
complications of diabetes
The complications of diabetes are badly managed and frequently lead to prolonged hospitalisation.
Peripheral neuropathy leads to ulcerated feet and/or charcot's osteoarthopathy and patients are often inappropriately admitted for iv antibiotics and debridements which then progressively leads to amputations.
The only effective treatment for this condition is protection by means of either total contact casting or protective footwear that fits perfectly.
The deficiencies in the system are
1) mistaking trauma and bony destruction for infection (thus the multiple courses of antibiotics and then the resistant organisms)
2) lack of personnel who can perform total contact casting - CAM walkers are often used and are ineffective
3) lack of footwear that is protective.
The whole focus of the management of this common complication needs to change dramatically to stop the enormous waste at the moment expended on inappropriate and ineffective treatment.
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