A computerized diabetes education module for documenting patient outcomes

In this article, the authors describe the development, use, and evaluation of a computerized module that provides for uniform documentation of patient education and allows for measurement of specific educational outcomes. Within the first year of implementation, the diabetes education module was used in an outpatient clinic for one third of the patients with diabetes. Major content areas documented were blood glucose monitoring, nutrition, hypoglycemia, and foot care. Users indicated that the diabetes education module greatly improved their ability to review goals previously addressed and to identify unmet goals. The diabetes education module offers easy and quick access to critical teaching areas, specific objectives for each content area, and a method for documenting measurable outcomes for the individual patient.