[Ambulatory care of diabetic patients. Viewpoint of internists in private practice]

In the diagnosis and treatment of diabetics, the privately practicing internist has a central role to play. Both cooperation with other specialties (ophthalmologists, neurologists, and surgeons) and pre-hospitalization and posthospitalization monitoring require depth of knowledge. In the areas of occupation counseling, management of social problems, and the concomitant care of associated diseases, the central importance of the internist for the diabetic can be decisive for therapeutic success.