Follow-On Basal Insulin—Can Online CME Improve Clinical Knowledge and Ability to Use Effectively?

Abstract

We assessed baseline knowledge of follow-on basal insulin and if an online, video-based, continuing medical education (CME) roundtable activity could improve the clinical knowledge and competence of primary care physicians (PCPs) and diabetologists/endocrinologists (D/Es) regarding follow-on basal insulin. A 3-question knowledge/competence and 1-question confidence linked pre-/post-assessment study design with McNemar’s chi-squared test (5% significance level, P <.05) and Cramer’s V (<0.no effect; 0.06-0.15 small effect; 0.16-0.30 medium effect; >0.30 large effect) assessed educational effect. The activity launched February 14, 2017, and data collected through March 20, 2017. PCPs (N=284) demonstrated a lower baseline knowledge level compared to D/Es (N=57): 9% of PCPs compared to 23% of D/Es correctly identified PK/PD data for follow-on insulin glargine 14% of PCPs compared to 30% of D/Es correctly identified a patient for whom follow-on basal insulin was a good therapeutic option Overall improvements were seen after participation in for both PCPs (n = 284; large effect of V= 0.329) and D/Es (n = 57; medium effect of V= 0.217). Improvements include: 56% more PCPs (P<.001) and 38% more D/Es (P<.001) accurately selected a patient for follow-on basal insulin use 30% more PCPs (P<.001) and 16% more D/Es (P=.082) correctly identified PK/PD data for follow-on insulin glargine 12% more PCPs (P=.001) and 10% more D/Es (P=.123) selected an effective strategy for overcoming a common barrier to insulin therapy 61% of PCPs and 37% of D/Es reported increased confidence switching patients with T2D from insulin glargine to follow-on insulin glargine This study demonstrates the success of online, video-based roundtable-style CME on improving clinical knowledge and competence of PCPs and D/Es related to follow-on basal insulin. As expected, PCPs had lower baseline knowledge compared to D/Es, and may need more foundational education related to newer therapeutic options for T2D. Disclosure A. Larkin: None. J. Dropkin: None. A. Le: None.