Diabetes patients consume over 10% of health care costs in most developed countries. Over 80% of these resources are used to treat diabetic complications and late stage diseases. In Hong Kong, the prevalence of diabetes was reported to be 10%. Over 30% of patients admitted to the medical wards in Hong Kong's public hospitals have diabetes, mainly due to cardiovascular and renal complications. The number of patients receiving renal replacement therapy has increased by 50% in the last 5 years but the number of patients with end stage renal disease due to diabetes has doubled. Between 10% and 15% of patients attending medical clinics in local public hospitals either receive insulin or anti-diabetic drugs. Local published data show that 3-10% of diabetic patients died or developed clinical endpoints yearly.