Quality in Health Care
Diabetes: Kidney Function Monitored
When the kidneys are working well, the tiny filters in your kidneys, the glomeruli, keep protein inside your body. You need the protein to stay healthy.
High blood glucose and high blood pressure damage the kidneys’ filters. When the kidneys are damaged, the protein leaks out of the kidneys into the urine. Damaged kidneys do not do a good job of cleaning out wastes and extra fluid. Wastes and fluid build up in your blood instead of leaving the body in urine.
Who was measured
Marshfield Clinic patients with diabetes age 18 to 85 who were screened and monitored for kidney disease during the measurement year.
The white number in the bar is the percentage of patients at goal for this measure.
"N" is the total number of patients measured for each reporting period.
What this graph shows
In 2009, over 82% of 14,344 Marshfield Clinic patients with diabetes were screened and monitored for kidney disease.
Why monitoring kidney function is important
Kidney damage begins long before you notice any symptoms. An early sign of kidney damage is when your kidneys leak small amounts of a protein (called albumin) into the urine. The only way to know about this leaking is to have your urine tested.
How we are improving patient care
Marshfield Clinic promotes screening for kidney function by:
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Making it easier for patients to schedule appointments and lab tests.
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Developing clinical practice guidelines, protocols, and standing orders to assist staff in scheduling necessary testing and office visits.
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Using electronic medical records and reminders to ensure lab tests are scheduled when they are needed. Watch video on how the use of electronic medical records is improving health care and reducing costs.
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Providing patients with a wellness summary that can be printed during office visits. The wellness summary shows the patient’s current vital signs including weight and blood pressure, a current list of medications, and results for some lab tests including A1c and LDL cholesterol. Patient wellness summaries often include an individual plan of care for each patient.
Where to find more information
Click the links below for Marshfield Clinic patient resources:
Information on this Web site is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. In fact, we encourage you to discuss this information with your health care provider when considering it within the context of your own health care.
