The effectiveness of a comprehensive diabetes program for glycemic control and adherence, and the selection of candidates for sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the effectiveness of a comprehensive diabetes program (CDP) in terms of glycemic control, adherence, and the selection of candidates for sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy (SAP). Methods: We compared diabetes control before and 6 months after CDP. The program was based on disease management using a logical model dealing with the following: case management, education and coaching, nutritional assessment, and mental health. Results: The CDP improved glycemic control, HbA1c decreased by 0.56% (p-value = 0.004; 95% CI: 0.14–0.98) and 19.1% of the patients reached the HbA1c goal without hypoglycemia. The CDP reduced by 52.4% the indication for SAP due to better glycemic control (36.4%) or non-adherence issues (63.6%); the remaining 47.6% persisted with poor glycemic control despite good adherence and were scaled to SAP. Among the 30 suitable candidates for SAP therapy, 60% did not reach the HbA1c goal and 40% had either hypoglycemic episodes (severe or persistent) or dawn phenomenon. The overall non-adherence rate was 33.3%. Conclusions: CDP optimized the selection of suitable candidates for SAP by improving glycemic control and identifying adherence issues early. These results provide evidence of the impact of the implementation of patient selection and educational protocols in the real-life setting of a highly experienced clinic.