Educational Materials for Type 2 Diabetes

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Disqualifiers: Not registered, Fewer than 100 patients

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

515 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this randomized trial is to learn if educational materials and personalized prescribing portraits change how clinicians in British Columbia (BC), Canada treat older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The main question the investigators aim to answer is: • Did a personalized prescribing portrait and therapeutics letter lead to a change in the number of older adults prescribed sulfonylureas or insulin when they have glycated hemoglobin (A1C) levels below 7%, compared to usual care. Study participants are nurse practitioners and family physicians actively practicing in BC, Canada. Participants registered on the project website, Portrait Online, to receive their digital prescribing portraits. Participants were randomized to either receive educational materials in the Early Group or in the Delayed Group. Using administrative health data, the prescribing of those in the Early Group will be compared to those in the Delayed Group to see if the materials influenced their prescribing.

Research Team

Colin Dormuth, ScD

Principal Investigator

University of British Columbia

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for nurse practitioners and family physicians in British Columbia, Canada. It's designed to see if educational materials affect their treatment choices for older adults with type 2 diabetes, specifically regarding the prescription of sulfonylureas or insulin when A1C levels are below 7%.

Inclusion Criteria

For physicians: defined as a General Practitioner or Family Physician - Emergency Medicine according to the BC Ministry of Health's Medical Services Plan with a license status of private practice, temporary license, salaried, or post graduate

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

Registered for Portrait Online (the program's secure website)

Exclusion Criteria

Physicians who were not classified as a General Practitioner or Family Practice - Emergency Medicine according to the BC Ministry of Health's Medical Services Plan with a license status of private practice, temporary license, salaried, or post graduate

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

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

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Group 1 clinicians receive prescribing Portraits and Therapeutics Letter on January 15, 2024, and Group 2 receives them on October 15, 2024

9 months

Digital access to materials

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in prescribing patterns and patient outcomes

9 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Portrait + Therapeutics Letter

Trial Overview The study tests whether a personalized prescribing portrait and therapeutics letter can influence clinicians' prescribing habits compared to usual care. Participants are split into two groups: one receives the intervention early while the other gets it later (Delayed Group).

Participant Groups

Group I: Group 2 - Delayed Control Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This group received the prescribing portrait and therapeutics letter on October 15, 2024 (9 months after Group 1 received the materials). The materials were uploaded to the Portrait Online interface on this date, and recipients were sent an email notifying them of the new material available.

Group II: Group 1 - Early Portrait + Letter Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This group received the prescribing portrait and therapeutics letter on January 15, 2024. The materials were uploaded to the Portrait Online interface on this date, and recipients were sent an email notifying them of the new material available.

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+