Accreditation of diabetes outpatient clinics

In 1996, the Hungarian Diabetes Association set up the conditions for accreditation of diabetes outpatient clinics. To gain an accreditation the diabetes team requires the involvement of at least a “qualified diabetologist”, a diabetes nurse and a dietician. The Hungarian Health Insurance accepts the accreditation of the Hungarian Diabetes Association.
Since 2005, the accreditation and administration of diabetes outpatient clinics happens completely on-line via the Association’s website. At present there are 134 accredited diabetes outpatient clinics dealing with adult patients and 22 clinics treating paediatric patients covering more or less the whole country. All the type 1 diabetic patients and the type 2 diabetics with complications are supposed to be controlled by the diabetes outpatient clinics. These clinics (adult) are presented on the map.

How to be a "qualified diabetologist by the Hungarian Diabetes Association"

In order to train experts for diabetes care the Hungarian Diabetes Association, since 1996, has organized a special course lasting two years for specialists of internal medicine, paediatrics, ophthalmology etc. After a successful written and oral exam the title of “qualified diabetologist by the Hungarian Diabetes Association” is issued. At least one physician from the diabetes team should have this title for the accreditation of a given diabetes outpatient clinic. 359 colleagues have become “qualified diabetologists” since 1996. On an annual basis there are typically 25-30 doctors passing the exam. A new on-line education has been available as a refresher course since September 2006.

A special post-graduate course was developed for nurses in order to become diabetes nurses in 1995. The topics of this one-year course are the following: pathophysiology of diabetes; diabetes in adult and children / adolescents; diabetes and pregnancy; acute and chronic complications of diabetes; special focus on the “diabetic foot”; ethics, pedagogy and practice. 324 nurses have successfully finished the course between 1995 and 2005 and have been able to work in diabetes wards, diabetes outpatient clinics and the primary health care network. The diabetes nurses have biannual national meetings.

Summer and winter camps for children and adolescents

Since 1976, summer and winter camps have been organized for children and adolescents living with diabetes. Besides having fun the participants learn a lot about diabetes and its management. In a year usually 300-500 young people attend these camps. Nine camps were organized in 2006. Winter camps include ski tours into the neighbouring countries like Austria or Slovakia. The Hungarian Diabetes Association regularly supports the camps: 1,500.000 HUF (6000 EUR) was donated this year.