Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
12-8-2023
Upload Date
2024
First Advisor
Linda Latting
Abstract
Approximately 88 million Americans, or nearly one-third of the population, have prediabetes. This condition has a high rate of progression to type 2 diabetes, reaching 70%. However, early identification, diagnosis, and participation in lifestyle interventions can effectively reduce the risk and promote euglycemia. Regrettably, 85% of those with prediabetes are unaware. The goal of this quantitative quality improvement project was to enhance the use of the prediabetes diagnosis code by primary care providers, who play a crucial role in preventing type 2 diabetes. The purpose was to improve access to early intervention for individuals with prediabetes, following the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) through education aimed at increasing the clinical diagnosis coding for prediabetic patients. Participants included medical doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician associates. They serve as primary care providers for the 14 primary care patient-aligned care teams (PACTs) at a Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Arizona. The participants attended a one-hour session that highlighted the importance of correctly identifying patients with prediabetes in the electronic medical record (EMR) by using the appropriate diagnosis code. Using a paired t-test analysis with an alpha level of 0.05, the participants showed a significant p-value of 0.008 in their use of the prediabetes diagnosis code in the EMR after the intervention. Educating primary care providers on prediabetes diagnosis code application led to increased utilization. Accurate prediabetes diagnosis coding enables early interventions to prevent progression to type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition with significant annual treatment costs in the billions.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Telling, KimberLeigh M., "Improving Access to Early Interventions for Prediabetic Patients" (2023). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 69.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/69
