Abstract:
Background: To demonstrate the effectiveness of group visits
in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and the
effect on patient satisfaction.
Methods: Two hundred consenting type 2 diabetics receiving
care at the general outpatient department of Bingham
University Teaching Hospital were recruited and randomly
allocated into intervention (group visits) and control (regular
care) arms. Socio-demographic, clinical and patient
satisfaction data were obtained with standardized
questionnaires and the participants were followed up over three
months.
Results: A total of 142 patients (82 intervention and 60 control)
completed the study. The subjects were comparable at baseline
regarding age, sex, marital status, educational level, and mean
fasting blood glucose. Overall, 88.3% of the usual care group vs
95.1% of the intervention group were satisfied with care (p=
0.13). Mean satisfaction scores were higher in the intervention
group 71.0±8.6 vs 69.6±10.1 (p=0.36), and there was a
significant difference in the ease of communication dimension
(p= 0.02). The mean duration of consultation was 12.5±
2.3minutes per patient in the control group vs 7.5± 2.3 minutes
in the intervention group (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: This group visit model is a practical option for
management of T2DM in primary care settings in Nigeria. It
also increases patient satisfaction with communication and
decreases consultation time.
