EHRs can be used to develop registries to identify and refer patients with prediabetes to prevention programs that can help manage the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the American Medical Association.
AMA researchers tested the effect of EHR patient registries as part of a study to evaluate routine screening, testing and referral of patients to a YMCA diabetes prevention program. As part of the study, participating primary care practices and health systems received an AMA-created "retrospective prediabetes identification and intervention algorithm," which involved asking an EHR to identify patients with prediabetes, according to the AMA report.
Of the 5,640 patients referred to a DPP in the study, 4,601 patients at 12 clinical settings were referred through a registry system. Post-referral enrollment was 11 percent, and patients were referred to DPPs at local YMCAs.
Healthcare organizations' staff used the registries to contact patients by phone, email or letter regarding their prediabetes condition and encouraged those with prediabetes to enroll in the YMCA program. Patients' medical records were also flagged so physicians would know to talk about participation in a DPP during the next patient encounter. If a patient chose not to participate in the DPP, the registry notified physicians to discuss diabetes prevention through lifestyle changes.