Diabetes care in Slovenia: Now and in the future

Abstract

Slovenia has about two million inhabitants; the estimated total number of diabetic patients in approximately 100 000 (prevalence circa 5%). The first specialised hospital diabetes department was established in 1945. Today, diabetes health care is delivered at primary, secondary and tertiary health care levels. Patients on diet and exercise or oral hypoglycemic agents are treated by general practitioners and those on insulin by specialist diabetologists. Specialist out-patient diabetes clinics are held at all general hospitals. A structured foot care prevention and treatment programme is running at the majority of out-patient diabetes clinics, as well as screening for retinopathy. Renal dialysis is available throughout the country for those patients with end-stage renal failure. A specialised clinic for diabetic pregnancy has been set up at the University Hospital in Ljubljana. Diabetic health care in Slovenia is provided free of charge. The Slovenian Endocrinolgy Association (which brings together physicians engaged in diabetology), the Slovenian Nurse Endocrinology and Diabetology Association, and the Slovenian Diabetic Foot Working Group were established in 1970, 1988 and 1995, respectively. Postgraduate diabetology courses for doctors have been run since 1982, and for nurses since 1996; diabetic foot training courses have been held since 1995. In addition, countrywide there are 39 diabetic patients' societies which are united under the umbrella of the Slovenian Diabetic Association. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.