Editorial
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Diabetes. Jul 15, 2011; 2(7): 105-107
Published online Jul 15, 2011. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v2.i7.105
Complexity of drug therapy and its implications for quality of diabetes care
James X Zhang
James X Zhang, Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, The Lewin Group, Falls Church, VA 23298, United States
Author contributions: Zhang JX contributed solely to the conceptualization, manuscript writing and editing of this manuscript.
Correspondence to: James X Zhang, PhD, MS, Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, The Lewin Group, Falls Church, VA 23298, United States. james.zhang@lewin.com
Telephone: +1-703-269-5528 Fax: +1-703-269-5501
Received: March 31, 2011
Revised: June 23, 2011
Accepted: June 30, 2011
Published online: July 15, 2011
Abstract

Diabetes is a leading cause of mortality, morbidity and disability around the globe. In the past two decades, diabetes care has grown more complex as patients have received multi-component care. Recent studies have illumined the complexity of drug therapy in patients with diabetes. A high level of drug utilization in diabetes patients has serious implications for quality of care, in terms of coordination of care, drug safety and access to care. Practitioners, researchers, payers and policy makers should be aware of these implications and incorporate the complexity of diabetes care into practice guidelines, benefit design and policy formulation to improve the quality of care.

Keywords: Complexity; Drug therapy; Quality of care