Original investigation

Usefulness of electronic databases for the detection of unrecognized diabetic patients

Shlomo Vinker^1,2 , Yaacov Fogelman³ , Asher Elhayany¹ , Sasson Nakar^1,2 and Ernesto Kahan²

¹  Clalit Health Services, Central District, POB 15043 Rishon Le Zion 75232, Israel

²  Department of Family Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, The Sheba Medical Center bldg. 130, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel

³  Department of Family Practice, Leumit Health Services, Hanasi st. 15 Afula 18000 and Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, POB 9649 Bat Galim, Haifa 31096, Israel

author email corresponding author email

Cardiovascular Diabetology 2003, 2:13doi:10.1186/1475-2840-2-13

Published:	14 November 2003

Abstract

Background

Even mild hyperglycemia is associated with future acute and chronic complications. Nevertheless, many cases of diabetes in the community go unrecognized. The aim of the study was to determine if national electronic patient records could be used to identify patients with diabetes in a health management organization.

Methods

The central district databases of Israel's largest health management organization were reviewed for all patients over 20 years old with a documented diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the chronic disease register or patient file (identified diabetic patients) or a fasting serum glucose level of >126 mg/100 ml according to the central laboratory records (suspected diabetic patients). The family physicians of the patients with suspected diabetes were asked for a report on their current diabetic status.

Results

The searches yielded 1,694 suspected diabetic patients; replies from the family physicians were received for 1,486. Of these, 575 (38.7%) were confirmed to have diabetes mellitus. Their addition to the identified patient group raised the relative rate of diabetic patients in the district by 3.2%.

Conclusion

Cross-referencing existing databases is an efficient, low-cost method for identifying hyperglycemic patients with unrecognized diabetes who require preventive treatment and follow-up. This model can be used to advantage in other clinical sites in Israel and elsewhere with fully computerized databases.