Promoting Alternatives to Sulfonylureas to Improve Patient Safety in Type 2 Diabetes

Description

The objectives of this study are to systematically (a) identify middle-aged and older adults taking SU within a large integrated health system, and empower them to explore alternative, evidence-based treatments with their primary care providers to address and implement the ADA practice guideline as an actionable target to improve patient safety; and (b) engage our primary care providers in a systematic quality implementation and improvement program that includes education about contemporary T2D guideline recommendations, benefits, and drawbacks of different classes of agents, and formulary alternatives to SU. These objectives will be accomplished in the following 3 aims:

1. Empower patients to discuss treatments options with their primary care provider.

Using an electronic data warehouse, the investigators will identify patients aged ≥45 years with type 2 diabetes who are currently prescribed SU and implement a strategy to encourage patients to discuss SU and alternatives with their primary care providers using a question-based prompt sheet. A control group will receive an overview sheet of diabetes medications.
2. Engage primary care providers in a quality implementation and improvement program.

The program includes education about contemporary T2D guideline recommendations, benefits, and drawbacks of different classes of agents, and formulary alternatives to SU. An academic detailer will visit each primary care practice up to twice during the study period to provide targeted education about alternatives to SU to promote safety.
3. Measure key process outcomes and patient-centered outcomes at regular intervals.

Participants will be surveyed every 3 months during their first year of participation to identify if they had discussed alternatives. The investigators hypothesize that half of intervention group patients will have had such discussions compared with only 25% in the control group. Other outcomes will include assessment of hypoglycemia symptoms, discontinuation rates of SU, initiation of new medications, diabetes and financial distress (via surveys), and clinical outcomes (extracted from the electronic medical record) including glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb A1c), body weight, blood pressure, and lipids.