Changes to care delivery at nine international pediatric diabetes clinics in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2021
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pediatric diabetes clinics around the world rapidly adapted care in response to COVID-19. We explored provider perceptions of care delivery adaptations and challenges for providers and patients across nine international pediatric diabetes clinics.
METHODS: Providers in a quality improvement collaborative completed a questionnaire about clinic adaptations, including roles, care delivery methods, and provider and patient concerns and challenges. We employed a rapid analysis to identify main themes.
RESULTS: Providers described adaptations within multiple domains of care delivery, including provider roles and workload, clinical encounter and team meeting format, care delivery platforms, self-management technology education, and patient-provider data sharing. Providers reported concerns about potential negative impacts on patients from COVID-19 and the clinical adaptations it required, including fears related to telemedicine efficacy, blood glucose and insulin pump/pen data sharing, and delayed care-seeking. Particular concern was expressed about already vulnerable patients. Simultaneously, providers reported 'silver linings' of adaptations that they perceived as having potential to inform care and self-management recommendations going forward, including time-saving clinic processes, telemedicine, lifestyle changes compelled by COVID-19, and improvements to family and clinic staff literacy around data sharing.
CONCLUSIONS: Providers across diverse clinical settings reported care delivery adaptations in response to COVID-19-particularly telemedicine processes-created challenges and opportunities to improve care quality and patient health. To develop quality care during COVID-19, providers emphasized the importance of generating evidence about which in-person or telemedicine processes were most beneficial for specific care scenarios, and incorporating the unique care needs of the most vulnerable patients.
Publication Title
Pediatric diabetes
ISSN
1399-5448
Volume
22
Issue
3
First Page
463
Last Page
468
DOI
10.1111/pedi.13180
Recommended Citation
Sarteau, Angelica Cristello; Katherine Janine Souris; Jessica Wang; Amira A Ramadan; Ananta Addala; Deborah Bowlby; Sarah Corathers; Gun Forsander; Bruce King; Jennifer R Law; Wei Liu; Faisal Malik; Catherine Pihoker; Michael Seid; Carmel Smart; Frida Sundberg; Nikhil Tandon; Michael Yao; Terry Headley; and Elizabeth Mayer-Davis.
"Changes to care delivery at nine international pediatric diabetes clinics in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.."
Pediatric diabetes
