CareFocus™ is a medical-office information system to improve care of diabetes

The Problem | The treatment of patients with a chronic condition, such as diabetes, is complicated by the use of paper-based records and the fact that an individual patient may see many health care providers. Doctors often do not know how many of their patients have a particular condition, and within a practice the treatment of patients with similar conditions may be highly variable. Tests required to monitor chronic conditions may not be conducted in a timely manner, and medications that might relieve worsening conditions may not be prescribed at the appropriate time. Because standards of care are not being consistently met, patients suffer.

The Solution

CareFocus is a system that can help doctors keep track of needed services. Developed in collaboration with the New York Diabetes Coalition and funded by government grants, CareFocus was designed to manage the care of people with diabetes. It can also keep track of preventive services such as immunizations and screening tests. In the future, it can be adapted to manage other chronic diseases, such as congestive heart failure and asthma.

CareFocus:

Provides a searchable, reportable database of patients with diabetes

Enables medical practices to remind patients when they are due for examinations and tests

Helps doctors encourage patient self-management of diabetes, through printable graphs and status reports

Promotes national quality standards of care for diabetes

Stores demographic information extracted from an electronic practice management system

Current Users

Metro+Med, a small medical practice in New Rochelle, NY, installed the CareFocus diabetes registry in May 2004. The program is also being used at two sites and is being installed at a third site in Sullivan County.

The Future

CareFocus will be extended to other practices and adapted for use in the care of patients with other chronic diseases. Hudson Center for Health Equity and Quality (Hcheq) will work to obtain funding to enable the broader installation of CareFocus. Hcheq will also explore ways to align the financial incentives associated with the implementation and use of electronic medical management tools.

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