Improving Diabetic Care Through Education and Innovation.

Abstract

Background: Despite the innovative advancements in diabetes care, providers may not recognize patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who qualify for a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device or the benefits of a telemedicine program for improving self-management behaviors. Objective: This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to determine if an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN)-led telemedicine program using CGM could improve glycemic control and self-management in patients with insulin-dependent T2DM. Methods: A 6-week telemedicine program was developed and implemented using the CGM's time-in-range to deliver patient-specific education. Clinical metrics were collected at each visit. All patients completed a pre- and postintervention Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire-Revised (DSMQ-R) survey. Results: A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that the telemedicine program had a statistically significant impact on time-in-range outcomes, F(2, 14) = 18.203, p < .001. Paired-samples t tests indicate that APRN-led education improved body mass index, t(8) = 4.232, p = .002; decreased systolic blood pressure, t(8) = 2.90, p = .010, and diastolic blood pressure, t(8) = 3.21, p = .007; and increased self-management skills as evidenced by DSMQ-R, t(8) = -5.498, p < .001. Conclusions: This QI project highlights multiple interventions for improving diabetes management in a primary care facility. Implications for Nursing: An APRN-led telemedicine program integrating CGM time-in-range data can improve glycemic control and self-management skills in patients with T2DM who administer insulin.