How well are you and your doctor managing your health?

All of us have a role to play in good health care. The Community Health Checkup is the first step to provide the information we need to do our part.

Good health care means many things: A good relationship between doctor and patient; a staff that helps patients get the information and appointments they need; patients who take an active role in their health.

High-quality health care also means that patients and doctors do the right thing at the right time.

The Community Health Checkup reports on nearly 25,000 Northeast Ohio adults who received care during 2007 in two ways:

OUTCOMES show how doctors' practices and their patients did on key indicators of good diabetes control.

Good Blood Sugar Control - hemoglobin A1c below 8

Good Blood Pressure Control - systolic blood pressure below 140 and diastolic blood pressure below 80

Cholesterol in Good Control - LDL (bad) cholesterol below 100 or prescribed a statin medication to control cholesterol

Good Weight Control - body-mass index (a measure of how healthy your weight is for your height) is below 30

Not Smoking - Not smoking is an important part of maintaining your health, especially when you have diabetes

PROCESSES show how practices and their patients did at getting recommended tests, treatments and vaccinations for their patients.

Blood Sugar Control Measured - hemoglobin A1c test performed annually

Kidney Management - testing urine for kidney problems or prescribed an ACE or ARB medication to protect kidneys

Eye Examination - Eye examination performed annually to help identify and treat diabetic eye disease

Pneumonia Vaccination - Pneumonia vaccination to help prevent serious lung infections

The Measures

Summary Outcomes Standard - meeting at least 4 out of the 5 Outcomes described below

• Good Blood Sugar Control - hemoglobin A1c below 8
• Good Blood Pressure Control - systolic blood pressure below 140 and diastolic blood pressure below 80
• Cholesterol in Good Control - LDL (bad) cholesterol below 100 or prescribed a statin medication to control cholesterol
• Good Weight Control - body-mass index (a measure of how healthy your weight is for your height) is below 30
• Not Smoking - Not smoking is an important part of maintaining your health, especially when you have diabetes

Summary Process Standard - meeting all 4 of the Processes described below:

• Blood Sugar Control Measured - hemoglobin A1c test performed annually
• Kidney Management - testing urine for kidney problems or prescribed an ACE or ARB medication to protect kidneys
• Eye Examination - Eye examination performed annually to help identify and treat diabetic eye disease
• Pneumonia Vaccination - Pneumonia vaccination to help prevent serious lung infections

For more information on our measures and standards, visit our Community Health Checkup Report.