Effect of a Multidisciplinary-Assisted Resident Diabetes Clinic on Resident Knowledge and Patient Outcomes

Abstract

Abstract Background Despite the rising prevalence of diabetes, there is a paucity of diabetes curricula in residency training. The multidisciplinary diabetes team approach is underused in residency education. Objective To assess the feasibility of an innovative multidisciplinary resident diabetes clinic (MRDC) in enhancing (1) resident diabetes knowledge via a Diabetes Awareness Questionnaire, and (2) subsequent process and patient outcomes in patients with diabetes via a Diabetes Practice Behavior Checklist. Methods From October 2008 to February 2010, 14 internal medicine residents managed patients with uncontrolled diabetes in a weekly half-day MRDC for 1 month (total 4–5 half-day sessions/resident), with a collaborative team of internists, diabetes educators, an endocrinologist, and a pharmacist. The curriculum included didactic sessions, required readings, and patient-specific case discussions. A 20-question Diabetes Awareness Questionnaire was administered to each resident prerotation and postrotation. Records of 47 patients with diabetes in the residents' own continuity clinics (not the MRDC) were audited 6 months before and after the MRDC for Diabetes Practice Behavior Checklist measures (glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, retinal referral, foot exam, microalbumin screen). Pre-MRDC and post-MRDC data were compared via paired t test. Results The MRDC residents exhibited a modest increase in mean (SD) scores on the Diabetes Awareness Questionnaire (before, 8.2 [2.8]; after, 10.9 [2.8]; P  =  .02) and a modest mean (SD) performance increase in overall process outcomes from the Diabetes Practice Behavior Checklist (before, 74% [18%]; after, 84% [18%]; P  =  .004). No improvements occurred in patient outcomes. Conclusions Multidisciplinary diabetes teaching may be useful in fostering certain resident knowledge and performance measures but may not alter clinical outcomes. Further large-scale, longitudinal studies are needed to understand the effect of our curriculum on residents' diabetes knowledge and future practice behavior.