Efforts to implement the use of patient decision aids to stimulate shared decision making are gaining prominence. Patient decision aids have been designed to help patients participate in making specific choices among health care options. Because these tools clearly influence decisions, poor quality, inaccurate or unbalanced presentations or misleading tools are a risk to patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Community health workers (CHWs) can improve diabetes outcomes; however, questions remain about translating research findings into practical low-intensity models for safety-net providers. We tested the effectiveness of a home-based low-intensity CHW intervention for improving health outcomes among low-income adults with diabetes.
Methods: Low-income patients with glycated hemoglobin A (HbA) of 8.
Int J Technol Assess Health Care
January 2016
Objectives: We describe a new evidence-based method for screening and evaluating emerging medical technologies. Washington State agencies, under legislative direction, have granted authority to its agency Medical Directors and policy leaders to make coverage decisions on medical technologies using a "dossier" process. The dossier process is employed when technology advocates or manufacturers request Washington State healthcare purchasers to pay for new and emerging technologies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Depression and diabetes are highly comorbid, with depression increasing risk of diabetes-related complications and mortality. Few studies have examined the relationship between depression and diabetes in safety-net populations with high rates of trauma exposure, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey of 261 patients with diabetes attending safety-net clinics, associations between depression and key diabetes control parameters were examined in bivariate and multivariable analyses adjusting for relevant confounders and significant interactions.