Lean Implementation for Graduating Optimally Controlled Stable Type 2 Diabetics from Endocrine Specialty Clinic Back to Primary Care

INTRODUCTION: Endocrine specialty clinics (SCs) are occupied by a high percentage of stable follow-up patients, limiting access to new patients with greater needs. AIM: Feasibility project to improve access to diabetes SC by reducing the number of stable optimally controlled follow-up type 2 diabetic patients. SETTING: M Health Fairview (MHFV), a hybrid network of University of Minnesota academic and Fairview Health community hospitals and clinics with affiliated providers. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: A team-based lean methodology quality improvement graduation program including medical assistants, nurses, physicians, and a compact with primary care (PC) was used to identify within the Endocrine clinic population the graduation-eligible optimally controlled stable type 2 diabetic patients, acclimate them to the graduation concept, engage in shared decision-making, and transition them back to PC with a warm hand-off and graduation certificate. PROGRAM EVALUATION: Seventeen percent (58/341) of eligible patients with optimally controlled diabetes graduated by 6 months, ranging between 0 and 83% per week. DISCUSSION: The innovation and feasibility of opening SC access through the use of a team-based graduation program to transfer stable diabetes patients back to their home clinic was demonstrated. This innovation has the potential to support health system triage of new patients to limited access specialty care. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11606-022-07767-z.