Implementing Group Visits: Are They Effective to Improve Diabetes Self-Management Outcomes?

Diabetes is a prevalent patient condition seen in primary care settings. One of the challenges of managing patients with diabetes is the complexity of treatment regimens and the need to have patients self-manage their chronic condition. This article describes the development of a group visit study for patients in an academic health center. The group visits occurred over 32 months with a total of 197 visits representing 51 patients. Improvements were noted in self-management skills, adherence to diabetes metrics, and high satisfaction. Sustainability was an issue because of the complexity of reimbursement and dependence on referrals.