A computerized registry of diabetes patients in a large health maintenance organization in Israel. The registry is aimed to be used by health professionals to identify diabetes patients and to follow the courses of their illnesses and risk factors.

The registry was initiated in 1998 by Maccabi Healthcare services, which is the second largest publicly funded HMO in Israel,serving 24% of the total population with a nationwide distribution.

The registry uses advanced information technology that integrates personal computerized community and hospital records, data from laboratory tests, dispensed medications, physiological signals, radiological images, and reports from investigations and procedures.

Inclusion Criteria:

Diabetic patient was defined according to the criteria suggested by American Diabetes Association - symptoms diagnosed as diabetes and fasting plasma glucose >125 mg/dl (7.0 lmol/l) or casual (namely, any time of day without regard to time since last meal) plasma glucose concentration P200 mg/dl. In order to reach maximal validity, we also included any patient who answered to one of the following: (1) purchased at least two hypoglycemic medications or single insulin dose during 6 months. (2) Had HbA1c result of at least 7.25%. HbA1c of 6.5% was used as entry criterion to registry only when the patient was diagnosed as diabetic.

Diabetes patients.