Grant: Operating Grant

Due to the under-use of diabetes education programs in Canada, individuals with diabetes are not receiving the comprehensive care that they need in order to manage this chronic illness effectively. Most people with diabetes are receiving care solely from their primary care providers who have expressed a lack of time and knowledge to fully care for and support patients with diabetes. The objective of this research is to evaluate a redesign in how we deliver diabetes care and self-management education using a collaborative approach between primary care providers and diabetes education programs to better manage patients with diabetes. Our project will support primary care providers by offering a diabetes education team (one registered nurse and one registered dietitian) at various primary care sites to assist in the care and management of patients with diabetes. We plan to examine the effects of a Mobile Diabetes Education Team (MDET) on the quality of care patients receive from their primary care providers and patient clinical outcomes. We will analyze the implementation of MDETs, as well as team collaboration and functioning at each primary care site. MDETs will strengthen links between primary care providers and diabetes education programs within the community, increase patient access to diabetes self-management education and support, and potentially improve patient experience and clinical outcomes through enhanced diabetes care. If study results are promising, this model can direct how diabetes prevention, management and care are delivered, and can greatly reduce the burden of diabetes in Canada.