12 years experience with use of computers in modular outpatient education and treatment in diabetes mellitus

For the past twelve years the authors have used computer aided techniques for: (1) assessment of the quality of glycaemic control in diabetic outpatients; (2) evaluation of secondary diseases and long-term complications; (3) comparison of various forms of treatment and/or rehabilitation; and (4) early assessment of high-risk groups of patients. The routine use of computerised data assessment was indispensable in improving the outcome, process and structure of quality of care in large cohorts of diabetic outpatients. It could be proven for the first time through a computerized data evaluation, that an outpatient system of structured individual and group teaching modules allows a comparable treatment effectiveness as in an experimental group in Diabetes Control and Complications Trial 1993.