Continuous monitoring of health status outcomes: experience with a diabetes education program

A diabetes education program was evaluated using an outcomes management system. Data concerning health status outcomes, including glycemic control (HbA1c), diabetes-related quality of life, and general health-related quality of life, were collected over a 15-month period. This information was collected for each clinic patient at entry into the program and again at a 6-month follow-up session. Patients improved significantly in all categories of outcomes. Newly diagnosed patients showed significantly greater reduction in HbA1c than did patients with a history of diabetes. Health-related quality of life, as measured by symptoms and the SF-36, improved independent of glycemic control. Despite the difficulties of interpreting results from this one-group, pretest-posttest design, the study demonstrated the value of a multidimensional approach to outcome assessment and program evaluation.