Problem: how can pharmacists play a greater role with diabetic patients?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that is increasingly prevalent in France and accounts for nearly 10% of health spending. The many complications associated with diabetes contribute substantially to this spending and occur when diabetes is insufficiently controlled. The current therapeutic objective of the treatment is measured by HbA1c levels, which should be <7% as defined by NHANES. In France, 41% of patients have HbA1c levels above 7%, and 15% above 8%. In parallel, many studies highlight adherence as an important success factor on HbA1c control.
In this context, pharmacists are essential actors in patient care, and, due to their expertise, wide presence, and accessibility, they could play a greater role in ensuring medical outcomes.

Solution: impactful "diabetes" interviews

The IPhODia study aimed to assess the impact of specific relevant, disease-related information, provided by community pharmacists on patient behavior. The study protocol was written based on Observia’s behavorial science expertise.  Three, 30-min thematic briefings were developed by Observia and pharmacists where trained on how to deliver impactful patient interviews. IPhODia is a 12-month, prospective, multicentre, non-interventional study. Pharmacists were randomly divided into 2 groups. In Group A, pharmacists provided monthly dispensations and the carried out interviews. Group B was the control group. Study endpoints: Medication Possession Ratio (MPR) at 6 months, HbA1c levels at 6 & 12 months, adherence (TOP questionnaire) at 6 months, patient knowledge acquisition (specific questionnaires), and Group A’s patient satisfaction. Information delivered during the pharmacist interventions consisted of the following topics:

• Nutrition for diabetic patients
• Management of treatment
• Diabetes complications