Quality in Health Care
Diabetes: LDL Cholesterol Testing
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is often called “bad” cholesterol because it can build up inside blood vessels. This makes it hard for blood to travel from the heart to the rest of the body. High levels of LDL cholesterol raise the risk of getting heart disease. The goal is to have an LDL cholesterol test once a year.
Who was measured
Marshfield Clinic patients 18 to 85 years of age with a diagnosis of diabetes who received a LDL-cholesterol test in 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 91 percent of 14,344 Marshfield Clinic patients 18-85 years of age with a diagnosis of diabetes had at least one LDL cholesterol test.
Why LDL cholesterol testing is important
People with diabetes are at least twice as likely as someone who does not have diabetes to have heart disease or a stroke. People with diabetes also tend to develop heart disease or have strokes at an earlier age than other people.
How we are improving patient care
Marshfield Clinic promotes good LDL cholesterol control by:
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Providing care management programs to help patients manage chronic disease. Read about Marshfield Clinic's care management programs.
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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.
