Educational Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Disqualifiers: Not registered, Not general practitioner, Others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if educational materials can help doctors and nurse practitioners in British Columbia improve the frequency of ordering HbA1c tests, which assist in managing Type 2 diabetes. Participants are divided into groups to receive educational content about these tests at different times to assess changes in their ordering habits. The trial seeks nurse practitioners and family doctors in British Columbia who had at least 100 patients with prescriptions filled at a pharmacy in 2022. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to enhancing diabetes care practices in the community.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications. However, since the trial involves healthcare professionals and not patients, it is unlikely that medication changes are required.

What prior data suggests that this educational intervention is safe for clinicians?

Research has shown that using educational materials and prescribing Portraits is generally safe for healthcare professionals. No reports have directly linked these educational tools to negative effects.

These Portraits and materials assist clinicians, such as nurse practitioners and family doctors, in making better decisions. They aim to reduce unnecessary tests, like those for HbA1c (a blood test for managing diabetes), without causing harm.

Since this trial focuses on educational content rather than a new drug or medical procedure, the main concern is whether the materials effectively change behavior, not whether they cause physical harm. Studies have shown that these types of interventions are well-tolerated and do not pose risks to participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Educational Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes because it offers a fresh approach to managing the condition. While traditional treatment usually involves medications like metformin, insulin, and lifestyle changes, this intervention aims to empower patients through education. The Portrait program and Therapeutics Letter provide easily accessible, detailed information directly to patients, potentially improving their self-management skills and engagement with their health. This approach could lead to better long-term outcomes by helping patients understand their condition and take proactive steps in their care.

What evidence suggests that this educational intervention is effective for reducing over-utilization of HbA1c tests?

This trial will evaluate the impact of personalized prescribing guides and educational materials, such as the Therapeutics Letter, on diabetes care. Participants in Arm A (Group 1) will gain early access to these materials, while Arm B (Group 2) will receive access after a 12-month delay. Arm C (Group 3) will not have access to these resources. Research has shown that such tools can help reduce unnecessary blood sugar tests by helping doctors understand the risks of overly strict blood sugar control, especially in older adults with type 2 diabetes. Another analysis showed that these materials can change how doctors prescribe tests, leading to more careful and appropriate test ordering. By offering clear advice, these resources help healthcare providers make better decisions about patient care. This approach aims to improve treatment while reducing the risks of excessive testing. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Colin Dormuth, ScD

Principal Investigator

University of British Columbia

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for nurse practitioners and family physicians in British Columbia, Canada who are actively practicing and registered to access their digital prescribing Portraits. The study aims to see if educational materials affect how often they order HbA1c tests for diabetes management.

Inclusion Criteria

Physicians and nurse practitioners registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. or BC College of Nurses and Midwives as a nurse practitioner

For physicians: defined as a General Practitioner or FP - Emergency Medicine according to the B.C. Ministry of Health's Medical Services Plan (MSP) with a licence status of private practice, temporary licence, salaried, or post graduate

Had ≥100 patients with prescriptions filled at a community pharmacy in 2022

Exclusion Criteria

Had fewer than 100 patients with prescriptions filled at a community pharmacy in 2023

Not registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. or BC College of Nurses and Midwives as a nurse practitioner

Physicians who were not classified as a General Practitioner or Family Practice - Emergency Medicine according to the B.C. Ministry of Health's Medical Services Plan (MSP) with a licence status of private practice, temporary licence, salaried, or post graduate

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention Phase for Group 1

Group 1 clinicians receive access to prescribing Portraits and Therapeutics Letter

12 months

Online access

Intervention Phase for Group 2

Group 2 clinicians receive access to prescribing Portraits and Therapeutics Letter

12 months

Online access

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in HbA1c test ordering patterns

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Portrait + Therapeutics Letter

Trial Overview The trial is testing whether personalized prescribing Portraits plus educational materials can reduce the over-utilization of HbA1c tests. Participants are split into an Early Group getting the intervention soon, a Delayed Group getting it later, and a control group with no intervention.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Arm B (Group 2) - Delayed control Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This "delayed" control group will get access to the prescribing Portrait and Therapeutics Letter 12 months after Group 1 (March 31, 2026). The materials will be uploaded to the Portrait program online portal on this date, and recipients who are registrants to the Portrait program will be sent an email notifying them of the new material available.

Group II: Arm A (Group 1) - Early Portrait + Letter Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This arm gained access to the prescribing portrait and Therapeutics Letter on March 31, 2025. The materials were uploaded to the Portrait program online portal on this date, and recipients who are registrants to the Portrait program were sent an email notifying them of the new material available.

Group III: Arm C (Group 3) - Non-Portrait users Active Control 1 Intervention

This group will not have access to the Portrait and Therapeutics Letter intervention because they are not registered with the Portrait program (i.e., non Portrait users).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of British Columbia

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,506

Recruited

2,528,000+

Ministry of Health, British Columbia

Collaborator

Trials

11

Recruited

15,600+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06976541

Utilization Study and Evaluation of Educational Intervention ... This study is a randomized trial testing the effectiveness of personalized prescribing Portraits and Therapeutics Letters to reduce the over utilization of ...

2. ti.ubc.ca ti.ubc.ca/2024/01/15/minimizing-harms-of-tight-glycemic-control-in-older-people-with-type-2-diabetes/

Minimizing harms of tight glycemic control in older people with ... This Portrait was accompanied by the Therapeutics Letter: Minimizing harms of tight glycemic control in older people with type 2 diabetes.

3. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/educational-intervention-for-type-2-diabetes-dcf62

Educational Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes · Info for Participants The aim of this randomized trial is to learn if educational materials and personalized prescribing Portraits change the frequency of ordering HbA1c tests by ...

4. researchgate.net researchgate.net/figure/mpacts-of-educational-module-and-prescribing-portraits-on-probability-of-prescribing-a_fig1_8348196

Impacts of educational module and prescribing portraits on ... Impacts of educational module and prescribing portraits on probability of prescribing a thiazide diuretic to new patients with hypertension.

5. ti.ubc.ca ti.ubc.ca/2024/10/09/151-minimizing-harms-of-tight-glycemic-control-in-older-people-with-type-2-diabetes/

[151] Minimizing harms of tight glycemic control in older ... This Therapeutics Letter evaluates the risks of tight glycemic control in older adults with T2DM, focusing on deprescribing diabetes medications in those over ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5721968/

Antidiabetic medications and mortality reduction It was widely believed that antidiabetic medications should improve the macrovascular (such as mortality and myocardial infarction) as well as microvascular ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1551714421001981

Individualized prescribing portraits to reduce inappropriate ... REDONNA is a mixed-methods randomized study testing the effectiveness of individualized prescribing Portraits to reduce inappropriate initiation of opioid ...