Paper 2 practice.

Friends,

below is an article which your paper 2 practice will be based on. Please regard the article, review your syllabus strands, and look at your command terms for tomorrow’s questions!

 

Topic: Health

Patients who have diabetes (diabetics) must measure their blood sugar (blood glucose) a number of

times a day to ensure that it stays within safe levels. If their blood glucose level is too high, they may

become unconscious and fall into a coma. Diabetics are expected to record their results daily so that

they can monitor their own blood glucose levels. These results are accessible to patients and also

reviewed by their doctors at the local hospital on a monthly basis.

Diabetics have been involved in tests with new IT technologies that experts hope will lead to an

increase in the use of online health records.

Previously a diabetic would be required to record blood glucose levels in a notebook. Now a blood

glucose meter can be used to measure levels of blood glucose and this information can be uploaded

to a computer.

This development has taken place in partnership with the company LivingWithDiabetes which has

developed a website that makes it possible for patients to upload their blood glucose levels so that

medical staff can view this information as shown in the chart below. (Chart unavailable).

The process works as follows:

1. Blood is taken and glucose levels are measured by the meter.

2. The results are uploaded and stored on the patient’s computer.

3. Results are sent to the LivingWithDiabetes website.

4. Results are viewed by medical staff.

Doctors believe that this new online blood glucose recording system will be significantly better

than the previous manual system because patients play a key role in managing their own condition.

Previously doctors relied on patients providing information about their blood glucose levels to

the medical staff and the information would then be passed on to the doctors. Now doctors can

immediately access this information online.

This online blood glucose recording system would only require one nurse to manage

200 diabetic patients. It would allow nurses to spend more time with patients when they are first

diagnosed, teaching them how to manage their condition.

Doctors believe this is an ideal solution for themselves, other medical staff and diabetic patients.