Implementation and Evaluation of a Pharmacist-led Diabetes Care Pathway in Alberta Community Pharmacies

Conditions studied

Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Hyperlipidaemia

About this study

As of 2024, nine percent of Albertans are living with Type 2 diabetes, which increases their risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure. Unfortunately, less than half of patients have controlled Type 2 diabetes. We are well aware of the factors which lead to worsening diabetes, but need to give people more support to help them manage their diabetes. Pharmacists are respected health care professionals who are often easier to see that doctors and can help people with diabetes to stay as healthy as possible. This research project aims to see whether a pharmacist service can help improve diabetes management in people with type 2 diabetes compared to usual care from their family physician or nurse practitionner. The potential impact of this project is to empower people with type 2 diabetes to understand their condition, it's management, and to achieve target blood sugar levels, which will ultimately reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.

Interventions

• Other: Pharmacist-led diabetes care pathway — articipants in the intervention arm will receive the care using a shared decision-making pharmacist care pathway approach designed to guide type 2 diabetes management to achieve target A1C levels and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications. The pharmacist care pathway is modelled after the Canadian Diabetes Association Guidelines22. This pathway (tool) will be built into a computer web-based program and include step-by-step, algorithm-guided patient assessment to achieve target A1C levels and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications. This will occur through follow-ups every 6 weeks for six months duration.

Primary outcomes

• A1C change (Up to 6 months)

Eligibility information

Study locations

• University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada