Improving glycemic control in diabetes through virtual interdisciplinary rounds.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Health Services Research
• Diabetes Management

Background:

• Team-based diabetes management improves outcomes but faces cost and complexity challenges.
• Innovative care models are essential for enhancing diabetes outcomes.
• Virtual interdisciplinary diabetes rounds offer a potential solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of virtual interdisciplinary diabetes rounds in improving glycemic control.
• To assess the impact of virtual rounds on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study (July 2018-December 2021).
• Difference-in-differences analysis comparing patients whose providers received virtual rounds advice versus those who did not.
• Inclusion criteria: diabetes, HbA1c 8-9%, or provider referral.

Main Results:

• Overall, virtual rounds were associated with a 0.3-point reduction in HbA1c (95% CI, 0.1-0.4).
• Provider adoption of recommendations correlated with a 0.5-point HbA1c reduction at 6 months post-rounds (95% CI, 0.1-0.9).
• No significant difference in HbA1c was observed at one year post-rounds.

Conclusions:

• Virtual interdisciplinary rounds are effective for proactive diabetes management recommendations.
• This approach provides efficient, low-cost, and timely specialist support to primary care.
• Virtual rounds represent a valuable tool for improving diabetes care delivery.