DANVILLE, PA – A multi-disciplinary group at the Geisinger Health System has developed an IT-linked set of best practices to improve the quality of diabetes care and outcomes.

The group, which includes endocrinologists, family physicians, internists, nurse practitioners, diabetic nurse educators and operations managers, developed nine quality measures to evaluate each patient. These standards include tracking blood pressure, cholesterol levels and immunizations.

"By standardizing the metrics and practices our practitioners use for patients with diabetes, we have been able to provide comprehensive care across the system and improve the quality of care that patients receive," said Frederick J. Bloom Jr., MD, assistant chief quality officer for the Danville, Pa.-based health system.

The program was designed to engage patients in proactive care and use a physician's time as efficiently as possible, Bloom said. Patients who may have gaps between visits or tests receive automated phone calls to assist them with scheduling appointments, and many tests and procedures are performed by nurses or nurse educators, allowing physicians to focus on complex medical decisions and goal-setting with the patient rather than routine procedural work.

Most importantly, Bloom added, the quality of care has improved.

"We have seen significant improvements across all nine of our quality metrics since the inception of our diabetic bundling program," Bloom said. "With more than 23,000 patients with diabetes at more than 40 primary care sites across the Geisinger system, it is critical that we provide standard, comprehensive care to help patients manage their condition."

Geisinger is a $2.1 billion integrated health services organization widely recognized for its use of the electronic health record and the development and implementation of care models including the advanced medical home. The system serves more than 2 million residents throughout 41 counties in central and northeastern Pennsylvania.