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Effectiveness of a Computerised Prompt for Primary and Secondary Care Physicians to Refer or Refer Back Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Diabetes Mellitus
Interventions
Other: Signal
Registration Number
NCT02229110
Lead Sponsor
UMC Utrecht
Brief Summary

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus can receive care in the general practice or at the outpatient clinic. In the region of Amersfoort in The Netherlands, primary care practices and the hospital are connected through Diamuraal to organize the diabetes care in that region. They work in the same electronic medical record, and patients can request access to their own record (called a patient web portal). They set up Diamuraal guidelines, based on the guidelines of the Dutch College of General Practitioners and Internists, on where the patient care needs to be allocated (primary or secondary care), depending on the amount of specific care a patient needs. Despite guidelines, not all patients are treated in the correct place.

Our hypotheses is that when we improve triage we can cause a major shift from treatment in secondary care to primary care and from primary care to self-care by using the patient web portal. Furthermore, patients who needs extra attention due to problems with their diabetes or complications can receive this extra attention due to increased e-consultation between primary care and secondary care and if necessary actually can, during a short time, be treated by an internist. We hope to achieve this by introducing a signal in the electronic medical record. This signal allocates patients according to the guidelines and warns a physician if their patients is not treated according to that guideline. The health care provider can then discuss this situation with his patient. We believe that this leads to shift in allocation of care, in which optimal care is provided and patients are made more aware of their situation which hopefully leads to better self-management and satisfaction.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
2779
Inclusion Criteria
  • patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
  • health care provider work within Diamuraal setting
Exclusion Criteria
  • none

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
SignalSignalIn addition to usual care, there will be an automatic signal in the electronic medical record (EMR) upon opening that will show the reader that the patient is currently not treated in the correct treatment setting and it simultaneously will give advice to which treatment allocation this patient should be transferred to.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
The number of participants with change in allocation of care after interventionOne year

One of the following:

1. shift from primary care to secondary care

2. shift from secondary care to primary care

3. continuation of treatment in primary care but with addition of e-consultation with secondary care

4. continuation of treatment in primary care but with replacement of one or more office visits in self-control

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in quality of diabetes careOne year

Measured with Quality of Care and Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes scoring system (QuED) containing scores for biomedical data (HbA1c, blood pressure, lipids, medication regimen, number of measurements)

Change in diabetes treatment satisfactionOne year

Measured with the diabetes treatment satisfaction questionnaire (DTSQ): six questions on satisfaction with treatment regimen and two questions on perceived frequency of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.

Number of participants who meet their treatment goalsOne year

Measured in number of goals that are met

Assembly of reasons by health care providers for not following the guidelinesOne year

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Meander Medical Center

🇳🇱

Amersfoort, Netherlands

Diamuraal-associated GP practices

🇳🇱

Amersfoort, Netherlands

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