Sammamish Diabetes and Lipid Clinic Wins Best Practice Award at National Meeting -- Press Release

Charleston, SC -- September 12, 2009.

At its annual meeting today, the  Practice Partner Research Network (PPRNet) announced that Sammamish Diabetes and Lipid Clinic received a "Best Practice" award, signifying excellence in patient care across a broad spectrum of clinical conditions.  PPRNet is a national primary care practice-based research and quality improvement organization, headquartered at the Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, located in Charleston, SC.  PPRNet practices use an electronic medical record developed by Practice Partner of Seattle WA.  Participating practices pool anonymous clinical data for research and quality improvement activities.  PPRNet is conducting a study funded by the U.S. Public Health Service Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality designed to accelerate translation of evidence-based medical guidelines into practices across the country.  These guidelines are for prevention of heart disease and stroke, diabetes mellitus, cancer screening, immunizations, respiratory disease, mental health and substance abuse, nutrition and obesity, and safe drug prescribing in the elderly.

Currently, PPRNet has 152 medical practices, representing over 760 health care providers and 1.8 million patients located in 40 states. In its 13 year history, PPRNet has published over 47 peer-reviewed articles.   To receive a Best Practice award, Sammamish Diabetes and Lipid Clinic scored in the top 10% of PPRNet  practices.  For more information, contact Dr. Steven Ornstein, the Director of PPRNet at 843-876-1213 or by email at ornstesm@musc.edu .

Who Can Be a Patient?

Sammamish Diabetes and Lipid Clinic is not currently accepting new patients.  In order to continue providing high-quality care and good access to our patients, we are trying to limit our patient load to about 600 patients.  From time to time, we may accept additional patients as space permits.  Persons who would like to be considered for our waiting list can contact Eva@sdalc.org.

About Dr. Stewart

Doctor Don Stewart is a Northwest native who grew up in Seattle and Bellevue, and attended Newport High School, the University of Washington as an undergraduate, and the University of Washington School of Medicine. He did his residency in Family Practice at the Swedish Hospital Medical Center, and founded Pine Lake Family Medicine on the Pine Lake Plateau in 1983. Pine Lake Family Medicine was purchased by Swedish Physicians in 2003, and renamed Swedish Physicians Pine Lake. Dr. Stewart served as the Medical Director of Swedish Physicians Pine Lake until 2007, when he left to open the Sammamish Diabetes and Lipid Clinic, to focus on the care of patients with these problems.   More About Dr. Stewart

Donald T Stewart, MD       FAAFP

NCQA Recognized Diabetes Physician