A Statewide Needs Assessment to Inform Best Practices for the Ohio Cardiovascular and Diabetes Health Collaborative (Cardi-OH)

Background: Funded by the Ohio Department of Medicaid, the Ohio Cardiovascular and Diabetes Health Collaborative (Cardi-OH) unites the 7 medical schools in Ohio to improve outcomes and reduce disparities in hypertension and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The purpose of this needs assessment was to identify high priority educational topics for the dissemination of evidenced-based best practices. Methods: Questions surveyed collaborative members’ familiarity with guidelines, educational topics, and barriers to care. Results: A total of 111 out of 123 members completed the needs assessment (90.2% response rate). Half (49.5%, n=55) were familiar with the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines for hypertension, whereas only 36.9% (n=41) were familiar with the 2020 ADA guidelines. The 3 topics of most interest were: 1) social determinants of health (SDOH, 55.9%, n=62), 2) lifestyle approaches to T2D (40.5%, n=45), and 3) new therapies for T2D (32.4%, n=36). Fifty-nine members (53.2%) provided direct clinical care; the others worked in research and public health. Providers estimated 25% of their T2D patients had A1C values >9.0%. Providers listed the 3 most common patient self-care barriers as: 1) lack of patient motivation (65.5%, n=38), 2) lack of patient education (60.3%, n=35), and 3) limited formularies and prior authorizations (41.4%, n=24). The 3 most common reasons for clinical inertia were: 1) lack of patient education (50.0%, n=29), 2) competing priorities (46.6%, n=27), and 3) lack of patient motivation (44.8%, n=26). Providers felt payers could help them with: 1) transportation (61.0%, n=68), 2) coverage of diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES, 59.4%, n=66), and 3) obtaining glucose monitors (45.9%, n=51). Conclusions: Top priorities for future evidence-based best practices are SDOH, patient engagement, and addressing complexity of care. Payers should prioritize increased coverage for DSMES and simplification of ordering monitoring supplies. Disclosure E. A. Beverly: None. G. D. Solomon: None. M. B. Holliday: None. J. Lewis: None. A. Nevar: None. S. M. Swiatkowski: None. M. W. Konstan: None. S. D. Bolen: None. K. M. Dungan: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Tolerion, Inc., Consultant; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Elsevier, Novo Nordisk, Other Relationship; Self; UpToDate, Research Support; Self; Abbott, Sanofi-Aventis, Viacyte, Inc. J. T. Wright: None. A. Caron: None. M. Clemons: None. S. Aldrich renner: None. K. Gawlik: None. M. Sajatovic: Consultant; Self; Alkermes, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., Other Relationship; Self; Springer Press, Johns Hopkins University Press, Oxford Press, UpToDate, Research Support; Self; Alkermes, Nuromate, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. G. Rao: None. Funding Ohio Medicaid Technical Assistance and Policy Program (G-2021-05-0069)