Electronic Feedback on Diabetic Care to General Practitioners

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of this study is to determine whether electronic feedback to general practitioners on quality of Type 2-Diabetes care increases the quality of care measured on process and outcome measures contained in the national guidelines. Effect evaluation will be performed using a mixed method design.

Detailed Description
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Background: In an effort to optimize diabetes care in general practice, an electronical feedback system has been developed. The system will be evaluated both quantitative and qualitative. Method: The general practitioners (GP´s) of the Region of Southern Denmark have been randomised to either admission or no admission to the electronic feedback system. The system was launched 1/3-2007 and ran for one year prior to evaluation. Quantitative evaluation by assessment of the following end-points: Patients Hba1c-level, number of patients who have had their hba1c-level measured within the last year, cholesterol-level and number of patients who have had an eye examination within the last year. Qualitative evaluation by interviewing GP´s who have had admission to the system. Qualitative data have been collected through interviews with intervention GPs, designed to uncover motivational factors as well as barriers concerning the use of feedback on chronic care in general practice. Data are being analyzed. Quantitative data are being gathered. Perspective: This project will shed light on the value of electronic feedback systems within chronic care in general practice. Based on this project it will be possible to set up a system for automatic electronic monitoring and feedback of the quality of care in general practice, taking motivational factors of the GP s into account during implementation.

Official Title
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Development and Evaluation of Electronic Feedback, a Tool for Quality Assurance of the Diabetic Care in General Practice

Conditions
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Type 2 Diabetes

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Electronic feedback system on diabetes care


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Prevalent Type 2-diabetes as confirmed by Primary Care Physician. Patient alive throughout the intervention period. GP actively working throughout the intervention period (not retired). Exclusion criteria: death during intervention moved out of geographic area during intervention GP retired during intervention

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 40 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention<br>Admission to electronic feedback system | Device: Electronic feedback system on diabetes care<br>* An electronic feedback system was introduced in randomized primary care clinics providing an overview of quality of care. The intervention ran for 15 months.<br>* Other names: Decission support system;|
| No Intervention: control<br>Control group. No special attention | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Outcome and process measures from the danish diabetes guideline |  | 1/3 2007-1/6 2008 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Interview data concerning the impact of the electronic feedback system in the intervention clinics |  | 1/3 2007-1/6 2008 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Quality of care, General Practice, Electronic Feedback System