Electronic Prompts for Type 2 Diabetes

(DEPICCT Trial)

Overseen By Paul Peng, MD PhD MS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Disqualifiers: Diabetic ketoacidosis, Diabetic foot ulcer, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

200 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to make treating Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) in emergency departments faster and more efficient by using electronic alerts. These alerts, called Our Practice Advisories (OPA's), notify doctors when a patient's blood sugar is very high, suggesting further tests and quicker follow-up care. The goal is to determine if these alerts lead to earlier treatment and better blood sugar control. Good candidates for this trial are emergency department patients with consistently high blood sugar levels (glucose ≥250 mg/dL) but without severe complications like diabetic ketoacidosis.

As an unphased trial, this study offers patients the opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could improve emergency care for T2D.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this method is safe for improving Type 2 Diabetes care coordination?

Research has shown that electronic prompts for managing Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) are generally safe for patients. These prompts, which are digital messages, assist doctors in decision-making. They do not involve medications or physical procedures, so they have no direct side effects.

One study found that using digital tools at home helped people with T2D improve their blood sugar levels and body mass index (BMI). This suggests these tools are also safe for hospital use. Another study found that electronic prompts can identify patients who might face additional health problems, enabling doctors to act quickly to prevent issues without causing harm.

Overall, electronic prompts are well-tolerated, providing doctors with important information without adding any risk to patients. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Diabetes Electronic Prompt because it aims to enhance the management of Type 2 diabetes by utilizing technology to provide real-time, personalized alerts to healthcare providers. Unlike traditional treatments that rely heavily on regular patient visits and manual monitoring, this approach integrates electronic alerts into the healthcare workflow, potentially leading to more timely interventions and better glucose control. By leveraging digital tools, it could streamline communication and ensure that important changes in a patient's condition are promptly addressed, which may improve overall treatment outcomes.

What evidence suggests that electronic prompts are effective for improving Type 2 Diabetes care coordination?

Research has shown that digital tools can effectively manage type 2 diabetes. In this trial, participants will receive electronic prompts to assist in diabetes management. Studies have found that digital systems can improve blood sugar levels and body weight for people with type 2 diabetes. Specifically, over 70% of users of an AI-powered lifestyle app experienced lower HbA1c levels, an important measure of blood sugar control. Another study discovered that digital health strategies significantly reduced HbA1c levels over time. These findings suggest that technology can play a key role in improving diabetes care by helping patients manage their condition more effectively. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes who visit the emergency department. It's designed to see if electronic prompts in the hospital's record system can help doctors spot and treat high blood sugar faster.

Inclusion Criteria

Moderate hyperglycemia (glucose ≥250 mg/dL)

Patients who arrive in the emergency department

Not pregnant or peri-partum

Exclusion Criteria

Diabetic ketoacidosis (pH < 7.20, HCO3 < 15, AG > 25)

Patients who leave against medical advice (AMA), elope from the ED, or are transferred to another facility

I have a diabetic foot ulcer or skin issues due to diabetes.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

ED providers receive electronic alerts to improve care coordination and treatment for T2D patients

Ongoing during ED encounter

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for follow-up care coordination and reduction in HbA1c levels

4 months

Multiple visits (in-person and virtual)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Diabetes Electronic Prompt

Trial Overview The study tests whether alerts (OPAs) for high glucose levels lead to quicker additional testing, better care coordination, and improved diabetes control. One alert suggests more tests when glucose is very high; another recommends extra care steps if A1c is extremely elevated.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

All ED providers exposed to electronic alerts

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Lead Sponsor

Trials

471

Recruited

81,700+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Mobile health (mHealth) prompts, especially text messaging, are widely used in diabetes prevention programs, but their effectiveness on behavior change and diabetes incidence shows mixed results based on a review of 44 studies.

Participants generally received mHealth prompts positively, yet there is a lack of clarity on the theoretical basis for prompt design and timing, indicating a need for more rigorous research to optimize these interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

mHealth prompts within diabetes prevention programs: a scoping review. MacPherson, MM., Merry, KJ., Locke, SR., et al.[2022]

A study involving 549 participants from the TuDiabetes.org online community found that 75 reported device-related adverse events, with nearly half requiring intervention, highlighting the potential for online networks to capture real-world device issues.

Only 4% of these adverse events were reported to the FDA, suggesting that online participatory surveillance can provide more comprehensive outcome data compared to traditional reporting methods, which often lack detailed information.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Participatory surveillance of diabetes device safety: a social media-based complement to traditional FDA reporting. Mandl, KD., McNabb, M., Marks, N., et al.[2021]

A significant 86% of the 111 diabetes patients experienced at least one adverse event (AE) or potential adverse event (PotAE) over a 9-month period, highlighting the prevalence of safety issues in chronic disease management.

The majority of AEs (63%) were related to medication management, and 77% of events involved patient actions, indicating that enhancing patient self-management and communication with healthcare providers is crucial for preventing these events.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What happens between visits? Adverse and potential adverse events among a low-income, urban, ambulatory population with diabetes. Sarkar, U., Handley, MA., Gupta, R., et al.[2021]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11914849/

Effectiveness of Digital Diabetes Management Technology on ... Digital diabetes management has been shown to effectively improve blood glucose levels and BMI in individuals with T2DM in home settings.

2. consultqd.clevelandclinic.org consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/randomized-clinical-trial-demonstrates-ai-supported-coaching-program-improved-outcomes-in-patients-with-t2d

AI-Supported Coaching Program Improved T2D Outcomes More than 70% of people with type 2 diabetes using a new AI-powered lifestyle app reduced their HbA1C and reduced or eliminated medications.

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751991825001032

Impact on diabetes-related health outcomes using a ... The study showed some health outcomes improved significantly for T2DM between pre- and post-MWD registration. HbA1c reduced by 8.6 mmol/mol at 24 months post- ...

4. jmir.org jmir.org/2025/1/e63209

Assessing the Effectiveness of Digital Health Behavior ... Several DHI strategy combinations were effective in reducing HbA 1c levels, FBG levels, BMI, and weight in T2DM management.

5. diabetesjournals.org diabetesjournals.org/care/article/46/5/918/148789/Delivering-on-the-Promise-of-Technology-to-Augment

Delivering on the Promise of Technology to Augment ... The study thus underscores the promise of technology for reducing the burden of diet tracking, facilitating personalized feedback, and ...

6. diabetesjournals.org diabetesjournals.org/care/article/43/8/1893/35548/Effects-of-an-Electronic-Software-Prompt-With

Effects of an Electronic Software “Prompt” With Health Care ... The presence of microalbuminuria (MA) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) identifies people with an increased risk of cardiorenal complications ...

7. lifescan.com lifescan.com/news-and-updates/2023-press-releases/results-from-new-study-of-real-world-evidence-showing-people

Results from New Study of Real-World Evidence Showing ... The real-world data demonstrated that PwT2D saw sustained, clinically significant improvements when engaging in just one to two OTR mobile app sessions per ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1530891X25009978

Diabetes Technology and the Older Adult An estimated 27% of individuals aged ≥65 years with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 3.8% with type 2 diabetes (T2D) use CGM.19. Compared to other ...

9. diabetes.jmir.org diabetes.jmir.org/2023/1/e43991/

Glycemic Outcomes and Feature Set Engagement Among ... Results: The T1D cohort had lower proportions of glucose values in the 70 mg/dl to 180 mg/dl range than the T2D cohort (52.1% vs 70.8%, ...