Aim
To utilise information obtained from patients attending Type 1 clinic for quality improvement recommendations in our service delivery.
To ensure our health service is not limited by historical service arrangements and has the ability to innovate and implement change if required.
Objectives
1. Complete a needs assessment of patients arriving to clinic
- Identify if social media is used
- Identify if patients have seen a Dietitian or Diabetes Educator in the last 12 months
- Report body mass index (BMI)
- Report current HbA1c results
- Report the number of patients with hypoglycaemia
- Report the number of patients with ketones present
2. Identify limitations & recommend innovative solutions in diabetes clinic
Method
1. Collect data for 3 months;
Age, gender, HbA1c, blood glucose level (BGL), ketones, BMI, use of social media & allied health attendance in the last 12 months.
2. Review technology skills of Doctors, Diabetes Educators, nursing and administration staff
3. Review the clinic physical environment
Results
• 43 patients were reviewed
• 80% are using social media
• 73% saw an Educator in the last 12months
• 34% saw a Dietitian
• 44% were optimal BMI weight range
• 56% BMI were overweight range
• No Ketonaemia .
• 2 had mild hypoglycaemia >3 - <4mmol/L
4mmol>4mmol>• 14% had an optimal HbA1c between 6-7%
• Limited WIFI
• Administration staff and clinic nurses report limited capacity for increase in workload
Conclusion
• Social media is widely used within the Type 1 patient group.
- Patients are not meeting clinical targets.
• It was found that although our health service is limited by historical service arrangements, there is a need for the implementation of new technology
• Recommendations for use of ehealth & social media are in discussion