Massachusetts Guidelines for Adult Diabetes Care Have Been Revised in 2005

The Massachusetts Guidelines for Adult Diabetes Care have been revised recently and published by the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP), a division of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.  The guidelines are developed by physicians and other health care providers and are based on the recommendations from the American Diabetes Association. HNE has adopted the guidelines, which are available for you to view at www.hne.com/HNE_members/preventive/medguides/04HMPCGuide35-63.pdf, as well as through HNEDirect.  For paper copies of the guidelines or to refer a patient to HNE Diabetes Management Program call HNE at 413-233-3553.

First created in 1999 and revised in 2001 and 2003, the initial goals of the guidelines were: to develop uniform standards that apply to adults with diabetes, regardless of insurer; to help eliminate any confusion brought about by differences in guidelines disseminated by individual third party payers; and to assist health care professionals in systematizing the care provided to people with diabetes. Many organizations working together created and updated this document to serve as a user-friendly and valuable tool to improve diabetes care in the state.

Revisions
The 2005 revisions to the Guidelines include:

• Updated definition of IFG
• Addition of a new section, Prevention or Delay of Type 2 Diabetes
• Addition of a new section, Other Guidelines to Consider: Psychosocial Issues, Retinopathy, and Periodontal Disease
• Updated Cardiovascular section to include the latest NHLBI Cholesterol Guidelines
• Addition of a Lipid Lowering Decision Tree and updated recommendation on lipid management based on recent studies
• Addition of a new, very short-acting insulin to the insulin table
• Addition of incretin mimetics to the medication section under Other Medications

Partners
The Guidelines are a collaborative effort among many partners:

• Baystate Health System
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
• Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan
• Fallon Community Health Plan
• Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
• Health New England
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health
• Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
• Massachusetts Medical Society
• MassPRO
• Neighborhood Health Plan
• Network Health
• Partners/MGH
• Primary Care Clinician (PCC) Plan
• Tufts Health Plan
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst

If you have questions about the Guidelines, please call the Massachusetts Diabetes Prevention and Control Program at (617) 624-5070.