Diabetics being treated by doctors using electronic health record systems receive higher-quality care than individuals whose doctors use paper-based systems, according to a new study published in the journal Health Services Research.

The investigators tracked the care of more than 14,000 diabetics being treated in 34 primary care offices across the country. Of these participants, more than 6,000 received care from a doctor using an EHR system.

The results of the study revealed that diabetics being treated by doctors using EHRs were more likely to receive what the researchers described as "optimal care." This was characterized by improvements in blood pressure, smoking cessation and the use of aspirin therapy when appropriate.

"Implementation of a commercially available EHR in primary care practice may improve diabetes care and clinical outcomes," the researchers concluded.

Still, the team pointed out that there is room for improvement. Their results showed that EHRs did not have any effect on diabetics' HbA1c scores (a measure of blood sugar control over time) or cholesterol levels, indicating that physicians could continue to find ways to use EHRs to improve diabetes treatments.