The chronic burden of diabetes.

Unmanaged diabetes mellitus is a major problem for patients, healthcare providers, and health insurers alike. The incidence of diabetes is growing rapidly and at present approximately 8% of the population is afflicted with this disease. When diabetes goes undiagnosed or untreated, the repercussions can be disastrous physically, as well as economically. In order to improve quality of life and healthcare economics, it is time for managed care systems to identify the barriers to improving the care of diabetes.