TIE DIABETES

Morehouse School Of Medicine, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. To reduce high blood glucose levels and sustain glycemic control levels among low-income, inner city adults receiving care at a local, federally qualified community health center Objective: To measure six quality indicators to assess quality improvement including four performance measures: HbA1c testing, lipid profiles total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides, retinal examination, and monitoring nephropathy and two quality indicators- glycemic control HbA1c level 7% and lipid control LDL 100 mg/dl. Key Findings Process measures are not being documented as stringently as they should be. This makes it difficult to determine whether or not a provider is giving adequate care and attention to disease management in this population of patients. Our main outcome measure is glycemic control. The majority of patients for each audit had an HbA1c value above 9% at the time of testing. This suggests to us that the efforts to reduce HbA1c levels could be improved. Challenges: There are some inherent challenges with the progression of this project. They are listed as follows: West End Medical Center is currently undergoing the implementation of an EMR system. The implementation process is projected for completion late September, 2006. Inevitably, this will cause some of the timelines for the audits and nurse-mediation component to shift if the implementation process does not go smoothly. Information entered into the EMR system will be provider driven. Consequently, this will affect the audit and feedback component of the project due to the fact that not all of the providers have decided on how much information should be entered into the system. Fortunately, the project can proceed without the aid of the EMR. We will proceed as if the EMR were never to have been implemented and the clinic was operating with a paper based medical record system. Change in investigators with Dr. Mayberry's departure.