[Medical guidelines for diabetes mellitus in Saxony. An instrument for interdisciplinary quality management for...

Patients with diabetes still have a life expectancy of 5-10 years less and a markedly reduced quality of life than non-diabetic persons. Concepts, models, and contracts aiming at an efficient co-operative care for chronically ill patients have been developed in the new German states to overcome shortage of care. The dual care of motivated diabetic patients by family physicians and experts for metabolic diseases has proven to be efficient both in pilot studies as well as in country-wide investigations. A representative commission for diabetes has developed guidelines for such a structure of dual care. Design and content of these regional developed guidelines about an cooperative evidence based care for diabetic patients fulfills the criteria suggested by international bodies of experts and the medical society for quality assurance. The Saxonian guidelines for diabetes have been successfully implemented step by step in medical offices and hospitals. We are sure that the further implementation of the shared care system diabetes will further improve quality of care.