Enhancing type 2 diabetes care by an individualized and group-based therapeutic patient education program: study...

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence is rising globally, necessitating effective management strategies.
• Lifestyle factors like diet and exercise significantly impact T2D, highlighting the importance of patient education.
• Current T2D care in Switzerland infrequently incorporates therapeutic patient education (TPE) within standard protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary, individualized T2D program incorporating TPE elements.
• To assess if the TPE-enhanced program improves health outcomes for recently diagnosed T2D patients.

Main Methods:

• A multi-center cluster randomized controlled trial involving 154 T2D patients across 30 primary care physician practices in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Intervention group: PCPs and healthcare professionals trained in TPE; patients receive individualized treatment plans and regular PROMs. Control group: standard care.
• 12-month intervention with 6-month follow-up; primary endpoint: change in HbA1c; secondary endpoints: PROMs, medical outcomes, patient experience, and cost-effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Primary endpoint: 12-month mean change in HbA1c levels.
• Secondary endpoints: 18-month HbA1c changes, patient-reported outcomes (EQ-5D-5L, DIAB-Q), medical outcomes (blood pressure, body composition, medication), and patient experience.
• Cost-effectiveness analysis from the payer perspective will be conducted.

Conclusions:

• Positive study findings could support broader implementation of T2D programs in Switzerland.
• The program aims to be a cornerstone for improving T2D patient health outcomes.
• The study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06774950).