7991 A Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Documentation of Carbohydrate Ratios and Correction Factors on Insulin Sliding Scales
Authors: Vitale Rebecca J , Lu Chang , Sonawalla Ambreen , Maxwell Tara K , Nanavati Sonal , Renthal Nora E , Rhodes Erinn T , Cherella Christine E 
Published: October 2024

Disclosure: R.J. Vitale: None. C. Lu: None. A. Sonawalla: None. T.K. Maxwell: None. S. Nanavati: None. N.E. Renthal: None. E.T. Rhodes: None. C.E. Cherella: None.

Background: In the management of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, sliding scale (SS) tables - which contain precalculated insulin doses for ranges of blood glucose and carbohydrate intake, usually based on a carbohydrate ratio (CR) and correction factor (CF) - provide a safer alternative for families with limited health literacy and numeracy. However, as insulin needs change, adjusting SS tables can be more difficult than adjusting CRs and CFs, which can cause less frequent or non-standard adjustments in SS tables, result in potential errors, and lead to disparities in the quality of care for these patients. We identified challenges to standardized SS documentation and adjustment at our institution and conducted a quality improvement (QI) initiative to address this problem. We aimed to increase the use of CR/CF to generate and adjust SS to improve the ease and accuracy of SS adjustments and ultimately improve care for this vulnerable patient population. Methods: Our goal was to increase the proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus discharged with CR/CF documented on the most recent SS in the medical record (the primary outcome measure) by 20% over 12 months. The process measure was clinician-reported utilization of CR/CF when generating or adjusting SS. To achieve our goal, we made two process improvements and used Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to evaluate them. First, we standardized the template for documentation of the SS which also prompted inclusion of the CR/CF to preserve it for future adjustments. Second, we developed a Microsoft Excel SS generator based on clinician input of CR/CF. Clinicians were educated about the importance of CR/CF documentation and were taught to use the new process. SS documentation of CR/CF in the medical record was evaluated through monthly chart review and tracked on a run chart. Clinicians were periodically surveyed on the frequency of use of CR/CF in the creation of SS. Results: The median value of SS that included CR/CF documentation in medical records increased from 0% at baseline to 58% after the interventions. Reported use of CR/CF to make and adjust SS increased from 6/15 (40%) to 6/7 (86%). Provider qualitative feedback on the new process was positive. Conclusion: In this QI project, the implementation of a template that promoted documentation of CR/CF, and a standardized and automated SS calculator that generated SS based on CR/CF, led to both increased documentation of CR/CF for SS, and increased clinician-reported use of CR/CF to adjust SS. The latter may indicate a decrease in barriers to adjusting SS regimens. By facilitating adjustment, this low-cost, reproducible system could increase frequency of changes to SS and may help to improve the quality of care for children with diabetes mellitus using SS.

Presentation: 6/2/2024