The Effect of Physician Continuity on Diabetic Outcomes in a Resident Continuity Clinic

• Published in: Journal of general internal medicine : JGIM Vol. 23; no. 7; pp. 937 - 941
• Main Authors: Dearinger, Angela T., Wilson, John F., Griffith, Charles H., Scutchfield, F. Douglas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.07.2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Blood pressure; Clinics; Continuity; Continuity of Patient Care; Curriculum; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus - therapy; Female; Health care; Humans; Internal Medicine; Internal Medicine - education; Internship and Residency; Low density lipoprotein; Male; Medical residencies; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original; Original Article; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; Patients; Physicians; Primary care; Quality of Health Care; Statistical analysis; Variance analysis; continuity; residents; diabetes
• DOI: 10.1007/s11606-008-0654-5
• ISSN: 0884-8734

BACKGROUND Conflicting data exists regarding the effect of continuity on diabetes care. Resident physicians frequently treat patients with diabetes in their continuity clinics; however, maintaining continuity in a resident clinic can be very challenging. OBJECTIVE To determine if resident continuity is associated with improvement in diabetic outcomes (HgA1c, LDL, blood pressure) in a resident clinic. DESIGN AND SETTING Retrospective analysis of data obtained from a medical record review of diabetic patients seen in a resident physician clinic. MEASUREMENTS We measured continuity, using the Usual Provider of Continuity Index (UPC) for residents and faculty preceptors. We measured changes in HgA1c, LDL, and blood pressure over a 3-year period. Using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), we assessed the relationship between UPC and change in these diabetic outcomes. RESULTS The resident UPC was 0.43, and the faculty preceptor UPC was 0.76. The overall change in HgA1c was -0.3. There was a statistically significant relationship between improvement in HgA1c and resident UPC (p = 0.02), but not faculty preceptor UPC. There was no association between resident or faculty preceptor continuity and change in LDL or blood pressure. CONCLUSION This study showed a link between resident continuity and improvement in glycemic control in diabetic patients. Resident physicians have a greater opportunity to develop a personal relationship with their patients. This interpersonal continuity may be of benefit in patients with illnesses that requires a significant amount of self-management behaviors. Medical training programs should focus efforts on improving continuity in resident primary care clinics.