A 5-structured visits multidisciplinary clinical care approach to optimize the care of patients with type 2 diabetes: a pilot study

INTRODUCTION: Multidisciplinary coordinated care has been associated with improvement of diabetes care. AIM AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort analysis aimed to assess the effect of application of the five-structured visits Multi-disciplinary Clinical Care Approach (FMCA) on each of T2DM control, complications and comorbidities. The patients’ records were assessed for one year of regular diabetes care followed with a year after implementation of FMCA for patients attending the diabetes clinic at Zulekha hospital. The patients were divided according to HbA1c (cutoff 7%) at the end of the FMCA year of follow-up into a group of controlled and another group of uncontrolled diabetes designated CDM and UCDM, respectively. RESULTS: 49% of patients were males and the mean age was 44.22 years. HbA1c levels, LDL and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) showed a marked decrease among the patients after implementation of FMCA (P = 0.02, P = 0.04, P = 0.003, respectively). Compared with an increase in the atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk score (ASCVD) during the regular period, exposure to FMCA significantly decreased the cardiovascular risk score (0.17%, 11.41%, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, respectively). A self-management score was significantly higher in CDM patients. After a multivariate regression analysis of factors affecting DM control, we detected that baseline HbA1c, UACR, self-management score and hospital admission rate were the most important factors to predict diabetes control. CONCLUSION: The implementation of FMCA has shown a significant improvement in clinical and humanistic aspects of individuals with T2DM with a better outcome, more control and less complications.