Diabetes: structured treatment has many benefits
People suffering from diabetes can benefit from structured care. Treatment is not only cheaper, but demonstrably better. For this reason, SWICA supports the Disease Management Programme by Medbase, which is offered by numerous partner practices.
Almost half a million people in Switzerland suffer from diabetes – and the number is rising. The disease can vary greatly in severity. Some people are able to manage the illness, while others suffer from years of complications.
If you have diabetes, it's important to understand how the condition affects your body and know how to take care of your health. Optimal diabetes treatment always involves individualised collaboration between the patient, their doctors, and other healthcare professionals. This may include, for example, nurses, diabetes advisors, dietitians or nutritionists, and podiatrists.
A programme for optimal collaboration
People with diabetes benefit from a structured treatment programme. Medbase and other SWICA partner practices have therefore been working with appropriate care concepts – also known as Disease Management Programmes (DMPs) – for several years, which they use as the basis for treating their patients. SWICA supports the Type 2 diabetes programme both financially and conceptually, thereby enabling optimal care for its customers.
How does the integrated treatment concept work in diabetes?
The treatment concept offers an individual treatment plan based on recognised, evidence-based medical guidelines. It includes the joint setting of treatment goals by the patient and the healthcare professionals involved in their care. Appropriate measures are then defined, such as counselling sessions, regular follow-up examinations, adjustments to medication, or physiotherapy. Treatment is documented, regularly evaluated, and adapted as needed. Patients are closely supported by an interprofessional team comprising medical practice assistants, therapists and coaches.
Better care thanks to networked treatment
The Winterthur Institute of Health Economics (WIG) of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) has been supporting the Disease Management Programme by Medbase for several years. The results are clear: the quality of care is better with the programme than without. The structured treatment programme also has a dampening effect on cost increases. In 2022, the average cost per person in the programme was 1999 francs lower than in the control group.
«Structured programmes such as the DMP for diabetes by Medbase ensure higher quality treatment.»
New: Focus on eye health
The disease management programme for people with diabetes is currently being expanded as part of the Trio+ consisting of the Winterthur Health Network of Medbase, the Winterthur Cantonal Hospital (KSW) and SWICA. More focus is placed on the bi-annual eye examinations as part of this expansion. This helps detect and treat diabetic retinopathy early, with cataracts and glaucoma also being screened for. The planned closer collaboration between Medbase and KSW and their joint focus on eye examinations is particularly important, as SWICA billing data shows that around 30% of people with diabetes do not attend regular eye check-ups.
