At a glance
ClinicalIndex Comparison Record- ✓Primary care at one of two participating VA sites
- ✓HbA1c ≥7.5% on 2 consecutive measurements
- ✓Systolic BP >140 mmHg OR Diastolic BP >90 mmHg on 2 consecutive measurements
- ✕Primary care provider excludes patient from study
- ✕Shared primary care with non-VA provider
- ✕Enrolled in endocrine clinic within last 6 months
- ✕Reluctant to participate in group visit for any reason
Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.
Can Group Visits Improve Outcomes of Veterans With Diabetes
In Brief
A Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating Diabetes Group Management Visits for Diabetes and Hypertension. Completed, enrolled 239 participants across 2 sites.
Detailed Summary
Background: Diabetes is a common, morbid and expensive disease among veterans. Achieving adequate glycemic control and blood pressure control can reduce the devastating complications of diabetes. Because the majority of patients do not achieve adequate control of blood sugar and blood pressure, innovative strategies to improve control are needed. One strategy with great potential for veterans receiving VA care is the group clinic. Group clinics have been developed over the last 5-10 years, and have been shown to improve clinical outcomes and reduce outpatient utilization in geriatric settings. Group medical clinics involve a cohort of 8-20 patients who have 1-2 hour group visits. These clinics are distinguished from traditional group education visits for diabetes by the fact that these visits involve one physician and one or more additional health care professionals, usually a nurse practitioner and/or a pharmacist, and are designed to make management changes for a number of people with the same disease in a short period of time. The effect of group medical clinics on blood sugar, blood pressure, and the cost of diabetes care, is unknown. Objectives: Our primary objectives in this project are to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a group visit intervention in improving rates of control of diabetes and high blood pressure in patients with both illnesses.
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
Patients meet in groups and receive education about diabetes, reinforcing each other with their own experiences. Each patient also gets medication management by a physician and pharmacist.