The National Diabetes Audit, a Government commissioned report, found up to 24,000 people with diabetes die unnecessarily each year. 

The risk of death for patients with Type 1 diabetes is 2.6 times higher than the general population, for patients with type 2 diabetes the risk is 1.6 times higher (National Diabetes Audit Mortality Analysis 2007-2008).

Young women are particularly high risk. Women aged 15 to 34, with type 1 diabetes are nine times more likely to die than the national population average for this age range, and six times more likely for those with type 1 diabetes. Men in this age range, with either type 1 or 2 diabetes, have a nine fold risk of death (NHS The Information Centre, 2011).

Whilst the study did not assess the cause of finding it is widely accepted that better long term disease management would significantly reduce risk.

“For the first time we have a reliable measure of the huge impact of diabetes on early death. Many of these early deaths could be prevented… Doctors, nurses and the NHS working in partnership with people who have diabetes should be able to improve these grim statistics.” Dr Bob Young, consultant diabetologist and clinical lead for the National Diabetes Information Service (NHS Choices 2011)

Barbara Young, the chief executive of Diabetes UK, said the figures were "incredibly alarming as there is no reason why people with diabetes cannot live long and healthy lives if they receive the right care and support to manage their conditions.” (The Guardian 2011)

Paul Burstow, the care services minister, said: "The audit has revealed shocking variation in care with devastating consequences for the lives of those with diabetes. This snapshot of NHS diabetes care reveals an unacceptable death toll, a death toll that can be cut by delivering the right care at the right time” (BBC 2011)

RioMed currently provide software services over 150 UK sites, 60 NHS Trusts, 60% of all Irish hospitals and 50 sites in the Caribbean. RioMed’s flagship software Cellma provides full clinical and managerial functionality and can assist health services in bringing down these startling figures. Furthermore RioMed have recently been awarded the Single Supplier Framework for use by diabetes services in Ireland.

Here are some of the ways Cellma can help ensure better management of diabetes care;

Ensure follow ups

Cellma’s automated recall functionality ensures patients are reviewed should any investigation demonstrate an abnormal result over a specified threshold. If such a result is returned Cellma will automatically identify this, flag it to the attention of the clinician and text the patient inviting them for a follow up appointment.

Improve annual review attendance rates

Cellma records appointment dates and automatically generates review appointment reminders. These reminders are automatically sent to the patient prompting them to book an appointment. Should the patient fail to make an appointment this will be flagged for the attention of the service who can then follow up the patient.

Standardised best practice assessments promote quality across services

Evidence based best practice assessments used in Cellma standardise care across the entire multidisciplinary team. This raises the quality of patient data, ensuring all check-ups are carried out and recorded, for example the following annual checks;

• Blood glucose levels
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Retinopathy
• Legs and feet
• Kidney functions monitored

Cellma will also report patient sequential data and graph results over time.

Promotes compliance with NICE guidance

Cellma facilitates the meeting of all relevant NICE guidelines through ensuring all required data is collected and reported on, patients receive appropriate information and that communication across the multidisciplinary team is strong. This includes but is not limited to; CG10, CG15, CG63, CG66, TA53, TA60, TA151 and TA203

Ensure patients with diabetes receive education about the disease

Cellma can monitor the number diabetic adults who have been offered, have started or completed structured education, monitor those patients whose structured education has been reviewed and reinforced and manage the electronic design and recording of educational programs in line with DOH and Diabetes UK Patient Education Working Group.

Sharing of information across the MDT

Cellma is accessible from any NHS terminal ensuring the entire multidisciplinary team have 24/7/365 real time access to patient records. This promotes informed decision making and ensures appropriate care for diabetes patients regardless of the location.

Comprehensive GP letters and patient summaries generated after every contact with the patient

Data gathered at the point of contact with the patient automatically populates a letter template (predefined by the service). This can then be approved and sent within 24 hours ensuring rapid follow up and appropriate care with the GP and entire multidisciplinary team. This function improves communication lines and reduces the administrative burden.

Full integration and information sharing with external services, including Podiatry, Dietetics and Nephrology

Cellma is fully interoperable with third party systems ensuing seamless referrals and information sharing with external services.

Reporting

Cellma monitors data quality through accurate and concise reporting on any aspect of the solution, adhering to national, statutory and locally defined requirements. There are three levels of reporting available:

• Dashboards (administrative and clinical): Provide a dynamic snapshot of user defined variables that are delivered as standard or easily customised by the user to fulfil their specific reporting requirements.
• Advanced patient search: Represents Cellma’s ad-hoc reporting ability and allows users to generate specialised reports in real time. Users can define the parameters on which the report is based to generate tabular or graphic reports on any aspect of their clinical service.
• Pre-defined Reports: These pre-defined reports set by the user in advance are often used to meet statutory or research requirements. Clients can write these reports in-house or RioMed can set Cellma to deliver them to the user at regular intervals.All reports are designed to facilitate rapid understanding for the professional involved and are available in graphical and alphanumeric exportable formats.Cellma uses GIS technology to geographically map patient details to indicate the prevalence of a particular diagnosis in an area as well as highlighting those groups most at risk to prevent its spread.

Comprehensive register of all diabetic patients

Included in Cellma’s reporting module is the capability to produce a comprehensive master patient index including all patients within a specified geoprahpial area. This can be used to measure disease prevalence and assist service managers in effective resource utilisation planning.

Rapid identification of patients suitable for research

Cellma’s advanced patient search identifies cohorts of patients by any specified characteristics, including demographic and clinical information. Suitable patients can then be approached for research studies.  Cellma can also be used as a research tool during a project, collecting information and reporting on outcomes and trends at the click of a button, or at predefined intervals.  This not only allows researchers to use one system across consultation and research, but also ensures data recapture and analysis is a quick and easily understood process. This facilitates the monitoring and improving of long term care and patterns of diabetes implications 

For more information or to arrange a demonstration please do not hesitate to contact us on 02380 277044 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it