(1050) "Pharmacist-led Automated Insulin Delivery with Structured Education in Underserved Diabetes Patients: Impact on A1C Reduction”

Objectives: The emergence of hybrid closed-loop automated insulin delivery systems has significantly advanced diabetes management by offering enhanced glycemic control and simplifying daily care routines. These state-of-the-art systems deliver insulin in real-time, adjusting doses based on glucose levels. Yet, despite their promise, comprehensive approaches to initiating, managing, and providing ongoing education and follow-up for these closed-loop systems remain underexplored.

Current research reveals some gaps, notably regarding the role of pharmacists in the initiation and management of these systems under collaborative practice agreements. Another key area that needs attention is streamlining the management of these technologies to include ongoing education and follow-up, helping patients gain confidence in managing their diabetes. To date, the literature lacks evidence-based guidelines specifically addressing the comprehensive management of these systems and strategies to increase accessibility of these pumps in underserved populations and areas.

Addressing these gaps is crucial for maximizing the benefits of automated insulin delivery systems. Pharmacists, with their specialized training, could play a pivotal role in offering uniform patient education and medication management. Additionally, the potential for using collaborative practice agreements could unite a range of healthcare professionals to provide more integrated and effective diabetes care. This proposed manuscript will describe the implementation and evaluation of pharmacist-led insulin pump management under collaborative practice agreement.

Methods: Study Design
This study employs a program evaluation design to answer the primary research question: "In underserved patients with diabetes, does pharmacist-led management of an automated insulin delivery system with structured patient education and follow-up lead to a greater reduction in A1C levels compared to the current standard of care?" The focus is on management of automated insulin delivery systems under a collaborative practice agreement.

Setting
The research will be conducted at a federally qualified health center in Northeast Ohio.

Participants
Participants in the study will be those who have been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes receiving insulin therapy. Additionally, participants must have a referral from their healthcare provider to enroll in pharmacy-managed diabetes care.

Data Collection
The primary outcome variable is glycemic control, which will be assessed through the measurement of A1C levels. These levels will be collected at baseline (before the initiation of the automated insulin delivery system) and at specified follow-up intervals. The data will be collected retrospectively via chart review, and an excel sheet will be utilized to keep track of de-identified patient results throughout the study. These will be stored in a password protected file located on a single authorized computer.

Analysis Plan
Data will be analyzed to compare reductions in A1C levels between participants receiving the pharmacist-led automated insulin delivery system and those who are managed by the manufacturers certified trainees.
By utilizing this framework, the study aims to investigate whether pharmacist-led initiatives and education in automated insulin delivery systems can more effectively reduce A1C levels in underserved populations compared to the standard care model.

Results: N/A

Conclusions: N/A