The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-to-peer program (P2P) in addition to Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs) compared to SMAs alone for the treatment of diabetes in five VA health systems, and to study the implementation process in order to gather information required to disseminate the program more broadly in the VHA system.
Providers are often unable to communicate as frequently as needed with diabetes patients who have poor risk factor control and face significant self-management challenges. Moreover, many VA patients face barriers to attending frequent face-to-face visits. This project will evaluate the implementation of a novel program found in a recent VA randomized, controlled trial to significantly improve VA patients' diabetes-specific social support, insulin starts, and glycemic control compared to usual nurse care management. The program uses periodic group sessions in conjunction with calls between paired patients with diabetes to promote more effective care management as well as peer-to-peer (P2P) communication among diabetes patients who both have poor glycemic control and are working on similar care goals. "Peer buddies" are encouraged to talk by phone at least weekly to provide mutual support and share their progress on meeting their self-management goals. The goal of this service is to enhance the effect of shared medical appointments (SMAs), a service model demonstrated to be effective in improving outcomes among patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions and now being widely implemented in VA. Based on the success of the efficacy trial of this intervention, the investigators now seek to evaluate a wider-scale implementation of this program. During implementation of the P2P program in conjunction with shared medical appointments (SMAs) in five diverse VA facilities, the investigators will evaluate the effectiveness of SMAs alone and SMAs+P2P compared to usual care, and study the implementation process in order to gather information required to disseminate the program more broadly in Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
1,536
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto, California, United States
VA Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA
Sacramento, California, United States
VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus, West Haven, CT
West Haven, Connecticut, United States
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Change in Glycemic Control
Glycemic control (measured by Hemoglobin A1c) in each group will be assessed by the comparison of an average of the values obtained during routine outpatient clinical practice in 6-month windows preceding baseline and following the 6 and 12-month post-enrollment evaluation periods. In addition to measuring absolute values of A1c, the investigators will also examine the change in the percentage of patients with an average A1c \> 8%.
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Change in Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP)
Systolic blood pressure (SBP) in each group will be assessed by the comparison of an average of the values obtained during routine outpatient clinical practice in 6-month windows preceding baseline and following the 6 and 12-month post-enrollment evaluation periods. In addition to measuring absolute values, the investigators will also examine the change in percentage of patients with an average SBP \> 140.
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Insulin Starts
The number of participants who are not on insulin at baseline and are started on insulin during the 6 and 12-month post-enrollment periods will be totaled and compared for the SMA group and the no intervention control group. For the no intervention control group, baseline will be the date they are identified by the data manager. For the SMA group, baseline will be the date of the first SMA.
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Emergency Department (ED) Visits
Major utilization events (admissions, bed days of care, and outpatient visits) will be collected from electronic medical records. Outpatient visits will be limited to those clinics most likely to be impacted by the intervention (e.g., primary care visits, diabetes specialty visits, and nurse visits).
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
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Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Statin Starts
The number of participants who are not on a statin at baseline and are started on insulin during the 6 and 12-month post-enrollment periods will be totaled and compared for the SMA group and the no intervention control group. For the no intervention control group, baseline will be the date they are identified by the data manager. For the SMA group, baseline will be the date of the first SMA.
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Change in Number of Classes of Anti-hypertensive Meds
Change in antihypertensive use (number of classes of prescribed anti-hypertensives) in each group will be assessed at baseline and following the 6 and 12-month post-enrollment evaluation periods. For the no intervention control group, baseline will be the date they are identified by the data manager. For the SMA group, baseline will be the date of the first SMA.
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Change in Patient-reported Satisfaction With VA Care
Patients' satisfaction with VA care will be assessed through surveys at baseline and 6 and 12 months post-enrollment for the SMA group. The following relates to the scale used: Scale name: VA Healthcare Satisfaction Scale Scale ranges: 1-6 (Strongly Disagree=1, Disagree=2, Slightly Disagree=3, Slightly Agree=4, Agree=5, Strongly Agree=6) Direction of range: Higher score indicates a better outcome
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Change in Patient-reported Diabetes Distress
Patients' level of diabetes distress will be assessed through surveys at baseline and 6 and 12 months post-enrollment for the SMA group. The following relates to the scale used: Scale name: Diabetes Distress Scale Scale ranges: 1-5 (Not a Problem=1, Minor Problem=2, Moderate Problem=3, Somewhat Serious Problem=4, Serious Problem=5) Direction of range: Lower score indicates a better outcome
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Change in Patient-reported Degree of Diabetes Support
Patients' degree of diabetes support will be assessed through surveys at baseline and 6 and 12 months post-enrollment for the SMA group. The following relates to the scale used: Scale name: Diabetes Support Scale Scale ranges: 1-6 (Strongly Disagree=1, Disagree=2, Slightly Disagree=3, Slightly Agree=4, Agree=5, Strongly Agree=6) Direction of range: Higher score indicates a better outcome
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Change in Patient-reported Degree of Self-Efficacy
Patients' degree of self-efficacy will be assessed through surveys at baseline and 6 and 12 months post-enrollment for the SMA group. The following relates to the scale used: Scale name: Williams Self-Efficacy Scale Scale ranges: 1-6 (Strongly Disagree=1, Disagree=2, Slightly Disagree=3, Slightly Agree=4, Agree=5, Strongly Agree=6) Direction of range: Higher score indicates a better outcome
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Hospitalizations
Major utilization events (admissions, bed days of care, and outpatient visits) will be collected from electronic medical records. Outpatient visits will be limited to those clinics most likely to be impacted by the intervention (e.g., primary care visits, diabetes specialty visits, and nurse visits).
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Length of Hospitalizations
Major utilization events (admissions, bed days of care, and outpatient visits) will be collected from electronic medical records. Outpatient visits will be limited to those clinics most likely to be impacted by the intervention (e.g., primary care visits, diabetes specialty visits, and nurse visits).
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
PCP Visits
Major utilization events (admissions, bed days of care, and outpatient visits) will be collected from electronic medical records. Outpatient visits will be limited to those clinics most likely to be impacted by the intervention (e.g., primary care visits, diabetes specialty visits, and nurse visits).
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Nurse Case Manager Visits
Major utilization events (admissions, bed days of care, and outpatient visits) will be collected from electronic medical records. Outpatient visits will be limited to those clinics most likely to be impacted by the intervention (e.g., primary care visits, diabetes specialty visits, and nurse visits).
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment
Endocrinology Visits
Major utilization events (admissions, bed days of care, and outpatient visits) will be collected from electronic medical records. Outpatient visits will be limited to those clinics most likely to be impacted by the intervention (e.g., primary care visits, diabetes specialty visits, and nurse visits).
Time frame: 6 months and 12 months post-enrollment