Effect of a primary-care-team focused diabetes educational program project on diabetes care quality indicators in a large health maintenance organization

Aims: In 2011 the central district of Leumit Health Services (LHS) (a health maintenance organization in Israel) implemented a chronic care program to improve diabetes care in general practice: MESSAGE program (Motivation, Education, Skills and Supervision to Achieve better diabetes care in General practice Environment), included training phase and ongoing time allocation for diabetes care. Methods: A population-based retrospective analysis of LHS Electronic Medical Records of all patients with diabetes in LHS between 1 June 2015 and 31 May 2018. Data was processed according to the definitions of the Israeli national program for quality indicators in community healthcare. ~442,000 adults were included, ~49,000 in MESSAGE engaged clinics. Results: The prevalence of diabetes in LHS was ~9.7–9.31% during study period. Over 3 years follow up, the prevalence of patients with A1C ≥ 9% declined in all districts of LHS but to a significantly greater extent in MESSAGE clinics [2015: MESSAGE 12.4%, LHS-combined 13.09%; OR 0.92 (0.83–1.01) p = 0.075; 2018: MESSAGE 8.51%, LHS-combined 10.85%; 0.76 (0.69–0.85) p < 0.001]. Other indicators of diabetes care did not change. Conclusion: The MESSAGE intervention program resulted in improved glycemic control. It is currently being modified to address all aspects of diabetes care and is implemented across all districts of LHS in Israel.