Diabetes Center Care

The Rotary clubs of Ann Arbor West, USA, and Trincomalee, Sri Lanka collaborated on developing a diabetes care center (DCC) using technology and trained diabetic care assistants to create an improved model of diabetic care delivery. Medical staff and students from the University of Michigan Medical and Business Schools joined the collaboration to develop a more efficient delivery model.

Diabetic patients were evaluated by diabetic care assistants who collected data relevant to diabetes care and entered the information into a cloud-based electronic health record. This data was then immediately accessible to the medical care team in the U.S., interpreted, and care algorithms were used to assess a diabetic risk score for each patient. A color was then assigned to each patient based on known diabetic risk factors. Patients with green and yellow scores (low risk for short-term complications) were managed conservatively with the help of diabetic care assistants. The assistants were trained in diabetic education so that patients could optimize lifestyle measures, including diet and exercise, to improve glycemic control. Those with red scores (high risk for short-term complications) were immediately referred to their local physician with priority appointments. All patients were given a detailed report of the status of their diabetes to share with their local doctor so the physician would have access to high-quality data to formulate their care plan. The DCC was a triage tool to increase capacity by using paid diabetic care assistants in the care pathway and only utilizing physicians to see patients at the highest risk.