National Recognition for Providing Quality Diabetes Care

May 10, 2006

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recently announced that more than 70 physicians who are part of Lancaster General Medical Group (LGMG) practices received Recognition from the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program for providing quality care to their patients.||

The Diabetes Physician Recognition Program was designed to improve the quality of care that patients with diabetes receive by recognizing physicians who deliver quality diabetes care, and by motivating other physicians to document and improve their delivery of diabetes care. To receive recognition, which is valid for three years, Lancaster General Medical Group submitted data that demonstrates performance that meets the Program’s key diabetes care measures. These measures include eye exams, blood pressure tests and foot exams, among others. When people with diabetes receive quality care as outlined by these measures, they are less likely to suffer vascular and neurological complications including heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputations.

“For a person with diabetes, the right physician can make the difference between living with diabetes as opposed to suffering from diabetes,” said Robert A. Rizza, MD, President, American Diabetes Association. “Physicians who earn recognition through the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program have an established track record of providing excellent diabetes care. The list of recognized doctors is the first place to look if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes.”

LGMG Primary care physician offices receiving the recognition include Crooked Oak Family Health Center, East Petersburg Family Health Center, Family Practice Associates of Lancaster, Landisville Family Health Center, Lititz Family Practice Associates, Manheim Family Health Center, Medical Associates of Lancaster, New Holland Family Health Center, Norlanco Medical Associates, Strasburg Family Health Center and Susquehanna Family Health Center. In addition, Diabetes & Endocrinology Specialists, an LGMG practice specializing in metabolic disorders like diabetes received recognition.

“All of our primary care physician practices serving adult patients participate in the Staged Diabetes Management Program (SDM), which we instituted in 1997. The SDM program allows our physicians to more appropriately manage and coordinate the care of patients with diabetes. We are also closely aligned with the Lancaster General Diabetes & Nutrition Center, which takes a leadership role in helping educate patients so they can more effectively control the disease,” said David W. Bowers, MD, Director of Clinical Affairs of LGMG.

“By carefully monitoring the care of patients with diabetes, we can significantly reduce the numbers of patients facing complications and long-term risks resulting from diabetes,” Dr. Bowers said. “For instance, since the start of SDM we have not had one lower extremity amputation due to diabetes complications.”

LGMG is proud to report that 97 percent of patients with diabetes received a yearly lipid panel to measure cholesterol and that 94 percent were counseled on smoking status and, if needed, given cessation advice and treatment. Also, 87 percent received a foot exam in the past year.

Additional DPRP data results for Lancaster General Medical Group include:

• Only 10% of LGMG diabetics have poor control of their blood sugars.
• 45% of LGMG diabetics demonstrate good control of their blood sugars.
• 75% of LGMG diabetics have a blood pressure less than 140/90.
• 43% of LGMG diabetics have a blood pressure less than 130/80.
• 65% of LGMG diabetics have received a dilated eye exam within the past year.
• 94% of LGMG diabetics are non-smokers.
• 97% of LGMG diabetics received a complete lipid profile within the past year.
• 88% of LGMG diabetics have an LDL-Cholesterol less than 130.
• 55% of LGMG diabetics have an LDL-Cholesterol less than 100.
• 87% of LGMG diabetics have had a foot examination within the past year.
• 69% of LGMG diabetics have had an assessment for kidney disease within the past year.

These measures are nationally recognized standards of care that, when carefully monitored, can help reduce the risk of common complications that people with diabetes are at greater risk of developing. Evaluating LGMG performance in these areas provides valuable information about the medical group. 

For more information about the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program, visit www.ncqa.org/dprp or call 202-955-1721.

Diabetes is a serious illness that affects the body’s ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood sugar to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. An estimated 16 million Americans have diabetes; it is the sixth-leading cause of death by disease in the U.S. and it has no cure.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of healthcare organizations, recognizes physicians and physician groups in key clinical areas and manages the evolution of HEDIS®, the tool the nation’s health plans use to measure and report their performance. NCQA is committed to providing healthcare quality information through the Web, media and data licensing agreements in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed healthcare choices.

The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the Association has offices in every region of the country, providing services to more than 800 communities.

Lancaster General Medical Group (LGMG) is a member of the Lancaster General healthcare family committed to being by your side. LGMG was established in 1995 by Lancaster General as a multi-specialty network of physicians and mid-level providers.