Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
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The objectives of this paper were to investigate quality of care for individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) and to determine if those most in need had the outcome of a total joint replacement (TJR). Key quality indicators were involvement in treatment decisions, appropriate information provision and outcomes of care. ⋯ It appears that patients with the most severe symptoms of pain and physical functioning were selected for TJR. However, care for individuals with OA could be improved by providing standard information on OA in general and pain management and exercise. In particular, effective strategies for the implementation of the research evidence and guidelines are required to improve quality of care.
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Diabetes mellitus is a growing health and economic burden. Identification of patients with unrecognized diabetes, or those at high risk for diabetes, provides an opportunity for timely intervention. This study assessed the accuracy of using electronic health care data to identify patients with undiagnosed diabetes. ⋯ Patients with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes can be accurately identified using electronic health care data.