Realistic possibilities of using data sources in quality assessment of care of patients with diabetes in the Czech Republic: National Diabetes Information System
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a serious health and economic problem of our time. Therapy is primarily perceived as prevention of the late complications of diabetes.
Most pharmacoeconomic analyses state that the cost associated with the therapy of diabetes mellitus is largely spent on the therapy of its complications. The project of the National Dia-betes Information System is based on the essential principle of automated collection of data which is available in di-gital form in the Czech Republic and which describes the quality and quantity of the care provided for patients with diabetes mellitus and its results.
Benefits of the posited National Diabetes Information System embrace minimizing of selective loss of data, a comprehensive view of epidemiology, therapy and its results, possibility of following trends, inclusion of costs related to hospitalization and social benefits. Risks involve correct interpretation and a possible system error.
If we succeeded in implementing such system in the Czech Republic, it would be the first fully automatic information system on such a comprehensive scale worldwide. Conclusion: The data describing the incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus, therapy structure, direct healthcare costs and induced costs of social payments is in the largest part available in digital form.
This creates a basis for the foundation of the National Diabetes Information System which will allow for continuous quality assessment of care for patients with diabetes mellitus, including the related pharmacoeconomic and social impacts