San Antonio health department selects VCDS' Vermedx technology to track diabetes

BURLINGTON, Vt. Vermont Clinical Decision Support, which captures laboratory test results from multiple labs and automatically produces population summary reports and report cards at regional, community, provider and practice levels has been selected by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District to provide elements of its technology to assist in the city’s diabetes intervention pilot program.

San Antonio’s diabetes death rate was the second-highest of the 54 largest U.S. cities, according to a recent report by the National Association of County and City Health Officials. Second only to New Orleans, the rate of death from diabetes was 49.8 to every 100,000 people in 2004 which is roughly double the national rate of 24.4.

The Vermedx technology will assist the district in creating a city-based registry and utilizing its information to map the epidemiology of hyperglycemia, monitor the diabetes epidemic, and initiate improvements.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to participate in a program with such far reaching implications for improving the health of diabetes patients and reducing the cost of care,” said Benjamin Littenberg, chief executive officer of Vermont Clinical Decision Support.

Starting in May 2008, the pilot program is expected to run 18 months, with at least 50,000 active diabetic patients and four major testing labs involved. SAMHD will present a detailed summary of its pilot diabetes program to the Texas Legislature in September 2009. The Legislature will then consider a similar program in other major Texas metropolitan areas.