Chronic care model as a framework to improve diabetes care at an academic internal medicine faculty-resident practice

We implemented a quality improvement project for diabetes care in a faculty-resident internal medicine practice, using the Chronic Care Model framework. We created a planned visit clinic, used a stepwise medication algorithm, and self-management support. The intervention was effective for patients with glycohemoglobin A1c levels 10 or above (P = .0075) when compared with usual care after adjusting for all significant predictors. Compliance with foot examinations increased by 72% (P < .0001) and pneumococcal vaccinations by 25% (P = .0115). We believe that the Chronic Care Model can be successfully integrated into faculty-resident practices and provides a model for further exploration into disease management education in academic settings.