Effectiveness of group medical visits for improving diabetes care: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Group medical visits, whereby health care professionals meet with groups of patients who have the same disease, have been introduced in primary care as a way to meet the increasing demand for health care delivery to patients with chronic diseases. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence on the effectiveness of such visits for patients with diabetes. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of all relevant studies published from 1947 to February 2012 identified in a search of electronic databases and grey literature. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies published in English that included patients aged 16-80 years with type 1 or 2 diabetes and that had group medical visits as the intervention. These studies were assessed for methodologic quality. We included data only from the RCTs in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Of the 94 studies identified, we selected 26 that met our inclusion criteria, 13 of which were RCTs. Group medical visits had a positive effect on clinical and patient-reported outcomes, with significant reductions in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c reduction -0.46%, 95% confidence interval -0.80% to -0.31%). We were unable to assess the effect of group medical visits on processes of care because of an insufficient number of RCTs that reported on this outcome. INTERPRETATION: Group medical visits for patients with diabetes were found to be effective in terms of reducing HbA1c. The results of our meta-analysis suggest that wider implementation of group medical visits for patients with diabetes will have a positive effect on patient outcomes.
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Compared with conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated better glycemic and blood pressure control among individuals with diabetes mellitus.
“Compared to conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved dietary habits, improved sleep, greater patient satisfaction, better glycemic and blood pressure control among individuals with diabetes mellitus, modest but significant weight reduction improvement, particularly in females and older adults, and reduced healthcare costs [207, 208, 209, 210].”
Compared with conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated modest but significant weight reduction improvement, particularly in females and older adults.
“Compared to conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved dietary habits, improved sleep, greater patient satisfaction, better glycemic and blood pressure control among individuals with diabetes mellitus, modest but significant weight reduction improvement, particularly in females and older adults, and reduced healthcare costs [207, 208, 209, 210].”
Compared with conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated greater patient satisfaction.
“Compared to conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved dietary habits, improved sleep, greater patient satisfaction, better glycemic and blood pressure control among individuals with diabetes mellitus, modest but significant weight reduction improvement, particularly in females and older adults, and reduced healthcare costs [207, 208, 209, 210].”
Compared with conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated reduced healthcare costs.
“Compared to conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved dietary habits, improved sleep, greater patient satisfaction, better glycemic and blood pressure control among individuals with diabetes mellitus, modest but significant weight reduction improvement, particularly in females and older adults, and reduced healthcare costs [207, 208, 209, 210].”
Compared with conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved dietary habits.
“Compared to conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved dietary habits, improved sleep, greater patient satisfaction, better glycemic and blood pressure control among individuals with diabetes mellitus, modest but significant weight reduction improvement, particularly in females and older adults, and reduced healthcare costs [207, 208, 209, 210].”
Compared with conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved sleep.
“Compared to conventional visits, GMVs have demonstrated improved dietary habits, improved sleep, greater patient satisfaction, better glycemic and blood pressure control among individuals with diabetes mellitus, modest but significant weight reduction improvement, particularly in females and older adults, and reduced healthcare costs [207, 208, 209, 210].”
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“In Canada, increased attention on the primary health care system is particularly important given the growing number of people living with one or more chronic conditions.(2) The move to renew and redesign primary care has led to a number of innovations, including group medical visits.”
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- Authors
- Housden, L., Wong, S. T., & Dawes, M.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Venue
- Canadian Medical Association Journal
- Publisher
- CMA Impact Inc.
- Published
- 2013-08-12
- Volume
- 185
- Issue
- 13
- Pages
- E635-E644
- ISSN
- 0820-3946 (ISSN-L)
- 1488-2329
- PMC
- PMC3778483
- OpenAlex
- W2112554023
- Cited by
- 154
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 15
- FWCI
- 2.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Canadian Medical Association Journal (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Management and Education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Management and Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Primary Care and Health Outcomes
- Keywords
- group medical visits, diabetes management, HbA1c, HbA1c reduction, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, chronic disease management, primary care, patient-reported outcomes, process of care
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Delivery of Health Care, Diabetes Mellitus, Glycated Hemoglobin, Humans, Middle Aged, Primary Health Care, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult
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