There are 23.6 million people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the U.S. The annual medical cost of diabetes-related complications is $174 billion. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has called for the aggressive treatment of diabetics and yet only 7.3% of diabetics are meeting evidence-based practice (EBP) target goals of A1C<7%, blood pressure (BP) <130/80 and low density lipoprotein (LDL) < 100. Clinical inertia has been a contributing factor to why only a small number of patients with diabetes are treated to target. Clinical inertia is defined as the primary care providers’ (PCPs) lack of knowledge of current EBP recommendations or an unwillingness to use such knowledge to intensify the medical management of patients with diabetes when indicated. The project manager sought to advance PCPs’ level of knowledge in using EBP algorithms for the management of diabetics with hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia to achieve the ADA’s recommended targets. PCPs’ knowledge of these algorithms was assessed by administering a pre-test prior to a presentation on diabetes’ management and a post-test following a presentation intended to measure gains in knowledge. The project manager’s goal was to use a teaching intervention to increase PCPs’ knowledge of the ADA’s current standards for the treatment of diabetes through the use of EBP algorithms at the medically indigent diabetes clinic (MIDC). The project manager’s objective was to increase access to diabetes management for medically indigent patients at the MIDC by advancing the knowledge of the volunteer PCPs regarding current ADA treatment recommendations for the patient with diabetes, and/or hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
