Enhancing Cross-Sector Collaboration in Diabetes Care Through a Shared-Viewer Platform: Clinical Experiences with...

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Clinical Collaboration
• Diabetes Management

Background:

• Effective management of complex type 2 diabetes requires seamless collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and hospital specialists.
• Current systems often present challenges in cross-sectoral communication and data sharing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the SAMBLIK-diabetes shared-viewer data platform on clinical supervision and cross-sector collaboration.
• To explore how the platform facilitates communication between GPs and hospital specialists in managing complex type 2 diabetes cases.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative process evaluation was conducted during the multi-regional rollout of SAMBLIK-diabetes in Denmark.
• Semi-structured interviews and observations were used to assess the platform's shared-view function during interprofessional telephone conferences.
• Inductive analysis and categorization of collected data were performed.

Main Results:

• 16 out of 21 clinicians reported enhanced clarity, efficiency, and equity in communication using the shared-view platform.
• Access to identical patient data (e.g., HbA1c, medication, renal function) fostered shared situational awareness and confidence.
• Identified barriers included inconsistent platform use, difficulty isolating its unique contribution, and a gap in enabling nurses to initiate specialist contact.

Conclusions:

• The SAMBLIK-diabetes platform effectively visualizes patient data to strengthen cross-sectoral dialogue and clinical reasoning in chronic disease management.
• Ensuring sustainability necessitates clear governance, seamless workflow integration, and comprehensive professional training.