Impact of group medical visits on patient engagement and quality of life

ABSTRACT

Background

Group medical visits (GMV) effectively improve patient care and outcomes through interactive education, increased patient contact, and facilitated social support. This quality improvement research examined if patient activation and quality of life correlate with weight, blood pressure (BP), and hemoglobin A1c (A1C) through GMV interventions.

Methods

Participants were enrolled in GMV Lighten Up for weight management or GMV Diabetes. At pre- and post-intervention, patients completed the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) and the health-related quality of life measure, the SF-12; and were assessed for weight, blood pressure (BP), and hemoglobin A1c (A1C).

Results

Weight and PAM scores significantly improved regardless of group. For patients in GMV Diabetes, A1C significantly decreased. GMV Lighten Up participants had statistically significant declines in diastolic BP. Both groups improved patient activation, but statistically significantly so only in GMV Diabetes participants. SF-12 scores did not statistically significantly improve. There were no predictors of A1C and PAM score change for the Diabetes GMV. However, age, SBP and SF-12 scores predicted PAM score changes in GMV Lighten up participants.

Conclusions

Participants in this study showed overall improvement in biomarkers and patient activation. Thus, GMV continue to be a viable method for healthcare delivery.

KEYWORDS:

• Patient Activation Measure
• Health Related Quality of Life (QOL)
• Group Medical Visit (GMV)
• Obesity
• Lifestyle
• weight
• weight loss
• SF-12

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contribution statement

CT Boyd, JK Kirk, and CG Strickland designed the study. JG Spangler performed data analysis and CT Boyd and JG Spangler generated the tables. CG Strickland, JE Roper, JK Kirk and CT Boyd developed GMV curriculum content. All authors were involved in data interpretation and drafting the manuscript. All authors contributed to study implementation and manuscript write up and have approved the final version. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Additional information

Funding

This paper received no funding.