Improving diabetes care for minority, uninsured and underserved patients

A local safety net clinic provides pharmacy directed Diabetes Disease Management (DDM). The purpose of the study was to determine if a program like this would be successful in an underserved, uninsured poor minority population. Clinic providers referred patients to the DDM visits. Body Mass Index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were recorded pre- and post-intervention. Those who participated in pre-intervention and post-intervention visit were included in the study and laboratory values were compared. Participants in the pilot study showed statistically significant improvements in HbA1c, triglycerides and BMI. HDL values did not show statistical change. Pharmacy directed DDM can be effective in the reduction of HbA1c and triglycerides. It also may be an effective weight loss intervention for patients with diabetes.