Study finds sharing patients’ electronic health records may help diabetes care, clinical outcomes

OTTAWA, Ontario Electronic repositories of personalized information shared between diabetes patients and their primary care doctors can improve diabetes care and clinical outcomes, according to a Canadian study.

The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, involved 511 patients and 46 family physicians and nurse practitioners, offering Web-based tools integrated with five different types of electronic health records, an automated telephone reminder system and a mailing of color-coded materials to half the study participants.

While 42.6% of the control group improved, 62% of those receiving intervention improved and reported greater satisfaction with their diabetes care.

“Despite the technical challenges for both patients and physicians, we have demonstrated that the care of a complex chronic disease can be improved with electronic tracking and decision support shared by family physician and patient,” study author Anne Marie Holbrook of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, wrote with her coauthors.