Diabetes Care
Standing Orders

With limited time and in busy office settings, it is typically a challenge to provide the level of care indicated in Diabetes Clinical Practice Guidelines. The Kentucky Diabetes Network Health Plan Partners (KDNHPP) recently followed the lead of other diabetes organizations in developing a sample set of Diabetes Care Standing Orders that is now available to download. This tool is based upon the 2006 American Diabetes Association’s Clinical Practice Recommendations.

It is not intended to replace or preclude clinical judgment or more intensive management. It can be used as a reminder or protocol, to simplify ordering procedures, or as a way to continually improve care to all patients with diabetes. Upon approval from the practicing physician / clinician, standing orders may be initiated by approved office staff. When instituting orders, review information from the patient and his/her chart to apply the protocol appropriately. Diabetes Care Standing Orders may be applied at any patient encounter (does not have to be a diabetes-focused visit).

Often patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes present to the office with no symptoms, and there is no trigger to remind the physician that it is time for routine testing. While diabetes interventions should be individualized, efforts should be made to take advantage of every opportunity (office visit) to encourage patients to have routine tests done at the intervals recommended by the American Diabetes Association.

The Diabetes Care Standing Orders and Diabetes Care Tool (flow sheet) can be used to help streamline the process for diabetes management. Some benefits to using these tools include: extends physician care by utilizing existing staff (RN’s, LPN’s, MA’s, etc.), increase the frequency of recommended testing, identify patients who are missing tests, and increase the number of patients who reach important A1C or lipid goals, etc.

Numerous organizations involved in the Kentucky Diabetes Network Health Plan Partners, plan to distribute the Diabetes Standing Orders to their provider networks, along with the Diabetes Care Tool, a flow sheet previously developed by the Kentucky Diabetes Network. Both tools are available to download online at this site.

Kentucky Diabetes Network, Inc.
P O Box 4245
Frankfort, Kentucky 40604-4245

For questions or comments contact Paula H. White: kydiabetes@gmail.com

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KENTUCKY DIABETES NETWORK