Diabetes Telemedicine Consultation: A Systems Improvement Intervention
Diabetes Telemedicine Consultation: A Systems Improvement Intervention
This study seeks to evaluate and document the processes of outreach consultation through
 joint-clinics via teleconferencing as an intervention for system improvement in care delivery
 and management of diabetes mellitus (DM) at a Community Based Outpatient Center (CBOCs).
Background:

 Diabetes is a national problem that has reached epidemic proportions, according to the U.S.
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes has particular importance for the
 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) because the prevalence among VA patients -- one in six,
 or 16 percent -- is substantially higher than in the general population.

 Objectives:

 The objective of this study was to evaluate and document the processes of outreach
 consultation through the use of joint-clinics via teleconferencing as an intervention for
 system improvement in care delivery and management of diabetes at CBOCs. The intervention
 consisted of a teleconferenced joint-clinic consultation session involving the patient,
 Diabetes Specialist Team, the Primary Care Provider (PCP) and other relevant care team
 members. The impact of the 16-month intervention was assessed based on patients who were
 involved in the telemedicine clinic and those who were referred to a specialist to be seen
 on-site at the Cleveland VAMC.

 Methods:

 Study settings include the CBOCs affiliated with the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical
 Center (VAMC) and involve primary care referrals to see diabetes specialists at the Cleveland
 VAMC. Inclusion criteria patients(N 282)=included: (i) current prescription of insulin or an
 oral hypoglycemic agent; (ii) A1c > 7.0%; or (iii) fasting glucose levels> 130 mg/dl; and
 (iv) referred to see a consultant (beginning three months prior to the active intervention
 phase and continuing through enrollment for the last month of the active intervention phase).
 Patients with either Type l or Type II diabetes will be included. Patients referred will be
 contacted and asked to participate.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  1) Current prescription of insulin or an oral hypoglycemic agent

 -  2) A1c > 7.0%

 -  3) fasting glucose levels > 130 mg/dl

 -  4) referred to see a consultant and are seen during the active intervention phase.
 Patients with either Type I or Type II DM will be included

 A Primary Care Provider for a Cleveland CBOC

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  1) primary care obtained at more than one site (based on stop codes with evidence of
 more than 1 CBOC involved in care during the last 6 months)

 -  2) documented dementia, aphasia, and psychosis