What are "standards of care"? These are the minimum requirements for competent treatment of a medical
disease or condition. A number of organizations, mainly the American Diabetes Association, have published
guidelines that together make up the standards of care for treating diabetics in the United States.
If a doctor has violated these standards of care, he or she can be legally liable for the damage caused by the
substandard medical care.
Some doctors are much better about following up-to-date treatment guidelines and standards than others.
In diabetes, it can be important to regularly see a physician who specializes in diabetes. These doctors are
called diabetologists or endocrinologists, a subspecialty of internal medicine. General internal medicine
physicians can and do give excellent diabetes care, but some do not have the training, knowledge or interest
to provide the high-quality care that diabetic patients need and deserve.
Standards of Care
- This article is a complete collection of the standards of care your doctor should follow when treating his patients
for Diabetes. Composed by the physicians of the American Diabetes Association, it describes the goals a doctor
must meet if he is to fulfill the minimum requirements for diabetes treatment. These include regular hemoglobin,
eye, and foot testing, as well as patient education and the establishment of a clear nutrition and exercise
program to minimize the cardiovascular risks of diabetes. Link
- This standard of care consensus statement discusses general insulin use and blood sugar control.
Link
- [see also references 1 and 2 (glucose).]
[it is also discussed in the comprehensive medical standards of care for diabetes treatment, at:
Link]
- Updated standard of care for the prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (blindness).
This includes treatment guidelines for blood glucose control and dilated eye exams. Link
- Updated standard of care for the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot disease.
Link
- Updated standard of care for the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy (diabetic kidney disease).
Link
- Updated standard of care for the prevention and treatment of general diabetic neuropathy.
Link
- American Optometric Association standards for optometrists in treating diabetes-related eye disease.
Link
- American Academy of Ophthalmology standards for treatment of diabetic retinopathy (blindness).
Link
- American Medical Directors Association standards for managing diabetes in the long-term care setting.
Link
- American Diabetes Association's standards for pancreas transplant in type I diabetes.
Link
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Federal Government Agency Task Force on Community Preventive Services standards for healthcare system and self-management education interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality from diabetes.
Link
- The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists medical guidelines for the management of diabetes mellitus: the AACE system of intensive diabetes self-management--2002 update.
Link
"Medical malpractice in managing diabetes", by
Patrick Malone. (Reprinted with permission from Trial
magazine, March 2004)
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