Pharmacy, podiatry, optometry, and dentistry toolkit: Assessing attitudes and knowledge of patients and providers about roles and services for diabetes care

Abstract

Objective: The objectives of this study are to: (1) assess patients' knowledge of the recommendations for diabetes care and of individual health care providers' roles in managing their diabetes and (2) assess the effect of introducing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's toolkit for Pharmacy, Podiatry, Optometry, and Dentistry (PPOD toolkit) on providers' knowledge of other providers' roles and services offered in managing diabetes and attitudes toward collaborating in diabetes care. Methods: The design is a cross-sectional survey of patients and a pre-post survey of providers. Patients with diabetes filling prescriptions at a rural independent pharmacy will be surveyed to assess their knowledge of diabetes care services and of the roles of pharmacists, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists in managing their diabetes. After analyzing the patient survey data, the study pharmacist will organize a meeting with local pharmacists, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists. The purpose of this meeting will be to explain how local providers can utilize the PPOD toolkit to collaborate as a team and share information about the services each provider offers to patients with diabetes. The providers will be surveyed before and after the meeting to assess changes in their knowledge of each other's services and their attitudes toward collaboration. Descriptive analyses of the patient and provider surveys and comparison of the pre-post surveys will be used. Results: Research in progress. Increased knowledge of the services that each provider can offer in diabetes care could lead to better collaboration among diabetes health care providers and ultimately better outcomes for patients.