Educational Intervention Along With Standardization of Diabetes Care Increased Inpatient HbA(1c) Testing: A Pilot Program.

OBJECTIVE: To continuously improve safe coordination of diabetes care throughout the hospital by ongoing implementation of standardized, hospital-wide staff education, and glucose management policies/protocols.

METHODS: In December 2013, a hospital-wide multidisciplinary task force was formed to standardize the care for all patients being admitted to Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center with the diagnosis of diabetes. The purpose of this team was to help develop policies and procedures on glucose management and educate staff on the current clinical practice guidelines. Prior to creating system-wide changes, the team decided to pilot the project on two units.

RESULTS: A total of 144 patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of diabetes were admitted to these two units between June 1 and July 31, 2014. The study group was found to have anincreaseinthe percentage of HbA(1c) tests (P < .01) being done when compared with 1173 patients in the rest of hospital. As a result of staff education, there was a decrease in hypoglycemia events (P = .05), and hyperglycemia events (P < .01) in the study group immediately following education; however during the follow-up period, the rate of hypoglycemic events was unchanged in both groups.

CONCLUSION: Standardization of inpatient diabetes management with staff and patient education increased the testing of HbA(1c) in hospitalized patients and has potential to improve quality of care and patient safety.