Implementing a Diabetes Screening Protocol

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Allison Ernst (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Type 2 diabetes is one of the greatest health concerns today. While one in ten Americans suffer from diabetes , 25% of them are unaware they have the disease. One third of the population has prediabetes , yet less than 12% have been told by a healthcare provider they have the condition. Clinicians are not adequately screening and educating their patients regarding their risk for this progressive and potentially debilitating disease. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a protocol encouraging providers to appropriately screen their patients for their type 2 diabetes risk. Methods: Participating healthcare providers were instructed to use the American Diabetes Association's screening tool during each new patient encounter in a twelve-week period. The intervention asked three clinicians in a private practice to assess patients' risk of developing diabetes according to the evidence-based tool. They then offered education on prediabetes , diabetes , and further testing. Completed screening tools were collected at the end of the intervention period and assessed for provider compliance. Outcome: Clinicians saw 151 new patients during the data collection period and screened 150 of them using the diabetes risk assessment tool. Sixty-nine patients were found to have a high risk for developing diabetes and 81 patients had low-risk scores. Educational material was provided to all new patients. The participating providers in the practice were able to implement the new screening protocol with a 99.34% success rate and did not require formal reminders or further education to maintain compliance.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Language: English

Date: 2019

Keywords

screening, prevention, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, risk assessment, education, evidence-based practice, screening protocols

Subjects

Email this document to