Improving outcomes in diabetes: a review of the outpatient care of NIDDM patients.

This article is a critical review of the recent medical literature on the outpatient care of patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type II). The 1989 consensus statement of the American Diabetes Association, "Standards of Medical Care for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus," has been selected as an initial point of departure. The author's goal is to present an evidence-based approach to the outpatient care of patients with type II diabetes in a way that is practical, strategically focused, and consistent with the basic philosophy of family practice. This article sets forth a detailed flow sheet for the implementation of this approach by the nurse and physician working as a team.