HHC launches electronic registry to track diabetics

New York City's Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) has introduced an electronic registry that will enable them to track 50,000 adult diabetics.
The electronic registry will allow the hospitals to monitor various aspects of a patient's health - blood sugar level, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. In turn, this closer tracking of diabetics' vital statistics will help prevent patients from falling victim to diabetes-caused blindness, kidney failure, heart trouble, or amputations.
The electronic registry was given the green light at all 11 public hospitals following a promising and successful two-year stint and Queens and Elmhurst hospitals. During the trial, almost half of the 9,000 diabetic patients were able to lower their blood sugar levels to a healthy mark. Patients also showed improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
HHC president Alan Aviles said, &#8220Our advanced use of technology will help us aggressively monitor our diabetic population, customize plans to keep tighter control of blood sugar and diabetic hypertension, and help thousands of patients reduce their risk of severe health consequences or death.”
In the future, Aviles hopes that the e-registry will be able to expand to benefit asthma, depressed, and heart failure patients.
The electronic registry is run by a staff of doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and nutritionists. Besides being able to review a patient's health levels and blood sugar levels, doctors will be able to weigh how much of an impact the patient's medication is having, or focus in on a particular area of need for the patient.
HHC public hospitals account and care for roughly 10 percent of New York City's diabetic population. With this new technology at their disposal, it is not far off to envision a New York City with the majority of its diabetic patients under proper and vigilant care - courtesy of the electronic registry.