Digital records show no effect on diabetes care

Electronic health records have been held up as a way to improve medical care, but a new study suggests they are not necessarily making a difference in diabetes treatment.

The study, of 42 physician practices in two U.S. states, found offices that used electronic records actually gave lower-quality diabetes care than those that stuck with old-fashioned paper records.

On the bright side, diabetes management actually improved across all the practices over the course of the study period. But offices using electronic records lagged.

The findings highlight the fact that switching from paper to e-records, alone, is not enough, according to lead researcher Jesse C. Crosson, an assistant professor at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Somerset, New Jersey.

"Just having these records doesn't mean they're being used in a meaningful way," Crosson said in an interview.

More needs to be done, he said, to help medical practices translate electronic records into better care.

The study, which appears in the Annals of Family Medicine, adds to others showing that digital records do not magically improve medical care on their own.

Diabetes care: few ways to avoid diabetes complications 1. Make a commitment to managing your diabetes.

Members of your diabetes care team - doctor, diabetes nurse educator and dietitian, for example - will help you learn the basics of diabetes care and offer support and encouragement along the way. But it's up to you to manage your condition. After all, no one has a greater stake in your health than you.

Learn all you can about diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight. Monitor your blood sugar level, and follow your doctor's instructions for keeping your blood sugar level within your target range. Don't be afraid to ask your diabetes treatment team for help when you need it.

2. Don't smoke.

If you smoke or use other types of tobacco, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking increases your risk of various diabetes complications, including heart attack, stroke, nerve damage and kidney disease. In fact, smokers who have diabetes are three times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than are nonsmokers who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Talk to your doctor about ways to stop smoking or to stop using other types of tobacco.

3. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.

Like diabetes, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. High cholesterol is a concern, too, since the damage is often worse and more rapid when you have diabetes. When these conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening conditions.