Health care models for treatment and management of diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a complex, chronic illness that requires continuity of care as well as collaboration between healthcare practitioners and patients. The increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes, along with the fact that only about 12% of treated patients are able to achieve combined targets for glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and cholesterol, shows that it may be unrealistic to expect a chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes to be managed in a system designed for acute conditions. This supplement compares some of the existing health care models in the US for the treatment and management of diabetes patients. Although there is no single model of care that is able to fully overcome the obstacles facing diabetes patients and healthcare practitioners, the authors provide a candid view of the advantages and disadvantages of some traditional and nontraditional models of diabetes care.

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