New Diabetes Care Resource Guide Offers Help to States, USA

HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in partnership with the Council of State Governments, released Diabetes Care Quality Improvement: A Resource Guide for State Action and its companion workbook, both of which are designed to help States assess the quality of diabetes care and develop quality improvement strategies.

"As the lead federal agency supporting research in the quality, cost effectiveness, and safety of health care, AHRQ is arming health care professionals, policymakers, and local leaders with evidence-based information designed to facilitate improvements in diabetes care," said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D.

Diabetes Care Quality Improvement: A Resource Guide for State Action and the companion workbook provide an overview of the factors that affect quality of care for diabetes, present the core elements of health care quality improvement, assist State policymakers in using the data from AHRQ's 2003 National Healthcare Quality Report for planning State-level quality improvement activities, and provide a variety of best practices and policy approaches that national organizations, the Federal government, and States have implemented related to diabetes quality improvement.

"State leaders often say they need two things to make sound decisions: good data and information about best practices. This new resource from AHRQ provides just that," said Daniel M. Sprague, Executive Director of the Council of State Governments. "It contains a wealth of data on diabetes care quality as well as information on promising practices that States have implemented to improve diabetes care."

The workbook includes six modules developed for State leaders as well as officials in State health departments, Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs, and Medicaid offices. Some modules are targeted for senior leaders responsible for making the business case for diabetes quality improvement and taking action, while other modules provide the information necessary for program staff to develop and implement a quality improvement strategy. The goal is that all groups involved in diabetes care work together as a team to improve the quality of diabetes care.

Diabetes Care Quality Improvement: A Resource Guide for State Action and its companion workbook can be found online at http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/diabqualoc.htm
Printed copies may be ordered by calling 1-800-358-9295 or by sending an E-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov.

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