Improvement of Care & Outcome
DIABETER delivers value-based type 1 diabetes care to both primary patients (treated at DIABETER from diagnosis onwards: 31%) and secondary patients (received treatment in other clinics before they transferred to DIABETER: 69%). Primary patients show better glycaemic control (vs. the Dutch average) (primary patients: 31%). Recent studies show tracking of life-time HbA1c values and clinical inertia. We assess if our care model improves glycaemic control of secondary patients or if tracking prevents improvement toward glycaemic levels comparable to the primary patient group.
HbA1c values extracted from our disease management system Vcare were included for people with type 1 diabetes treated ≥1 year at DIABETER (n= 2014). Secondary patients were only included if they had received ≥1 year of previous care in another clinic. HbA1c changes, determined cross-sectionally per year from 2006-2018, were analysed descriptively for primary and secondary patients. Three hospitals (H1-3) discontinued type 1 diabetes care and transferred people with type 1 diabetes to DIABETER, allowing study of both ‘en bloc’ and individual transfers from >40 other referring centers.
Key findings:
HbA1c levels from primary patients (all age groups) fluctuate around 8.0 % over the years.
Secondary patients had higher HbA1c at the time they transferred to DIABETER, but the group gradually improved (over months to years) to HbA1c levels comparable with those of primary patients.
Transition to DIABETER results in improved glycaemic control comparable with our primary patients, showing value in our comprehensive care model which may also overcome tracking in (secondary) patients. Additional studies, including treatment, care methods, use of technology and patient-related factors, are needed.
For abstract click here (page 215/216).
For poster click here.
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