Diabetes MellitusNCT04894903
Effects of a Patient Portal Intervention to Address Diabetes Care Gaps
A study testing Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention in people with Diabetes Mellitus, run by Vanderbilt University Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a novel patient portal intervention on the number of patients with diabetes care gaps (e.g., no diabetes eye exam i the last 12 months). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Diabetes Mellitus
- What is being tested?
- Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 440 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 30 Apr 2022to 2 Mar 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Established patient with a participating primary care physician from a participating clinic
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Able to read in English
- Age 18 to 75 years old
- Mobile device (smartphone or tablet) with internet access
- Active My Health at Vanderbilt (MHAV) account
Who cannot join
- A medical condition that prevents use of a mobile device
- Pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study period
- Severe difficulty seeing
- On dialysis
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, 37212
About this study
Official title: Effects of a Patient Portal Intervention to Address Diabetes Care Gaps: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a novel patient portal intervention on the number of patients with diabetes care gaps (e.g., no diabetes eye exam i the last 12 months). The intervention is designed to: (a) notify patients when selected, clinically meaningful, evidence-based diabetes monitoring \& preventative care (e.g., annual urine microalbumin) are due and (b) allow patients to initiate orders for the care.
Read the detailed description
Participants will be recruited from 14 VUMC-affiliate adult primary care clinics located throughout Middle Tennessee. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to the intervention or usual care. 500 adult patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus will be assigned to one of two arms. 250 will be assigned to receive access to the intervention embedded within an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 250 will be assigned to a usual care comparison arm with access to the currently available version of My Health at Vanderbilt without the study intervention. At enrollment, participants will complete a baseline questionnaire and diabetes health data will be abstracted from the patients' electronic health record (EHR) before being assigned to the intervention or control arm. Participants will receive additional follow-up questionnaires and diabetes health data will be abstracted from the EHR at 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups to assess outcomes. In addition, system usage data (user analytics) will be collected throughout the study period.
- Conditions
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Being tested
- Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention
- Keywords
- Diabetes Mellitus, Self-efficacy, Patient Web Portals, Health Information Technology
- Medical subject headings
- Diabetes Mellitus
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal InterventionOther
The Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention is embedded within an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt). The intervention (a) notifies patients when selected, clinically meaningful, evidence-based diabetes monitoring \& preventative care (e.g., annual urine microalbumin) are due and (b) allows patients to initiate orders for the care.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Patients have access to an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt) embedded with the Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention.
. Receives: Other: Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention |
| Usual Care | No intervention | Patients will have access to an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt) NOT embedded with the intervention (i.e., usual care). |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of Participants With Diabetes Care Gaps at Baseline, 3 Months, 6 Months, and 12 Months
Number of diabetes care gaps per patient out of four possible:
- no diabetes eye exam in the last 12 months,
- no hemoglobin A1C blood test in the last 6 months,
- no urine microalbumin in the last 12 months, and
- no pneumococcal vaccination of any kind ( i.e., never received PPSV-23, PCV-13, PCV-15, or PCV-20) The presence of a diabetes care gap will be assessed by electronic health record (EHR) abstraction.
Measured: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up
Secondary outcomes (9)
Patient Initiated Orders
The number of patient-initiated orders via the study intervention for evidence-based diabetes monitoring and preventative services (e.g., A1c).
Measured: 12-month follow-up
Change in Understanding of Diabetes Monitoring and Preventative Care
Unique study specific items (four items) to assess participant's understanding of measures of diabetes monitoring and preventative care (e.g., Diabetes Eye Exams) will be administered to all study participants. Each multiple-choice item has only one correct answer and the overall measure is scored as the percent of the items answered correctly.
Measured: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Change in Confidence Toward Managing Diabetes in General
The 5-item Manage Disease in General Scale of the Chronic Disease Self-Efficacy Scales is a validated measure of the confidence a person has in managing their own health and health care and is closely related to patient activation. The items were adapted to be specific to diabetes rather than a generic condition or illness. Each item uses a 10-point Likert-type scale of response options ranging from 1 (not at all confident) to 10 (totally confident). Responses result in total raw scores ranging from 1 to 10. The score for the scale is the mean of the items. Higher scores indicate greater confidence in managing diabetes in general.
Measured: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Change in Diabetes Distress
The Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID-5) is a valid measure of diabetes distress. The PAID-5 contains 5 items which have a five-point response option (0-4 representing 'Not a problem' through to 'Serious problem'). Total scores on the PAID-5 can range from 0 to 20, with higher scores suggesting greater diabetes-related emotional distress care (e.g., Diabetes Eye Exams) will be administered to all study participants.
Measured: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Satisfaction/Usability of My Health at Vanderbilt
The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a valid measure of usability and assesses user's perceptions of ease of use, likability of the interface, and overall satisfaction. Each question on the 10-item questionnaire is scored on a 5-point Likert scale [0 (Strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree)] and the sum is totaled (0-40). The total sum is then multiplied by 2.5 to convert the original scores to a range of 0 (worst) to 100 (best). Based on prior research, a score above 68 would be above average and a score of 85 or above suggests excellent usability. The SUS has been used in several studies of patient facing health information technology (the article describing its psychometric properties has been cited over 500 times) and has excellent internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha of 0.91).
Measured: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up
Change in Blood Glucose Control
Participants' most recent hemoglobin A1C will be abstracted from participants' electronic medical record.
Measured: Baseline to 12-month follow-up
Treatment Intensification
The addition of: (a) antihyperglycemic medications and (b) antihypertensive medications will be assessed by EHR abstraction.
Measured: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Change in Diabetes Self-efficacy
The Perceived Diabetes Self-Management Scale (PDSMS) is a valid measure of diabetes self-efficacy (i.e., how confident they feel about their ability to carry out multiple self management tasks). The uni-dimensional, 8-item scale is scored on a five-point Likert scale. The total PDSMS score can range from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating more confidence in self-managing one's diabetes.
Measured: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Reported Services Completed Outside Vanderbilt System
The number of patient reports of diabetes eye exams received outside the Vanderbilt University Medical Center health system submitted via the study intervention.
Measured: 12-month follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 May 2021
- Study start30 Apr 2022
- Primary completion3 Feb 2024
- Study completion2 Mar 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Diabetes MellitusStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Vanderbilt University Medical CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 440 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, William Martinez, MD, MS, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Investigators
- William Martinez, MD, MS, Principal investigator, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04894903
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 212257
- Other IDs
- R18DK123373
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 11 May 2021
- Last updated
- 9 Apr 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: After study results are posted on clinical trials and published in a peer-reviewed journal, de-identified individual participant data that underlie the results reported will be available upon requests made to the principal investigator and ending after 36 months after publication.
Publications
Hackstadt AJ, Elasy TA, Gangaputra S, Harper KJ, Mayberry LS, Nelson LA, Peterson NB, Rosenbloom ST, Yu Z, Martinez W. Effects of a Patient Portal Intervention to Address Diabetes Care Gaps: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2024 Jun 28;13:e56123. doi: 10.2196/56123.
PubMed 38941148
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Apr 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of a Patient Portal Intervention to Address Diabetes Care Gaps: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04894903
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 212257
- Conditions
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Keywords
- Diabetes Mellitus, Self-efficacy, Patient Web Portals, Health Information Technology
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 440 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Vanderbilt University Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- Study start
- 30 Apr 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 3 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 2 Mar 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 20 May 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 9 Apr 2025
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a novel patient portal intervention on the number of patients with diabetes care gaps (e.g., no diabetes eye exam i the last 12 months). The intervention is designed to: (a) notify patients when selected, clinically meaningful, evidence-based diabetes monitoring \& preventative care (e.g., annual urine microalbumin) are due and (b) allow patients to initiate orders for the care.
Detailed description
Participants will be recruited from 14 VUMC-affiliate adult primary care clinics located throughout Middle Tennessee. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to the intervention or usual care. 500 adult patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus will be assigned to one of two arms. 250 will be assigned to receive access to the intervention embedded within an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 250 will be assigned to a usual care comparison arm with access to the currently available version of My Health at Vanderbilt without the study intervention. At enrollment, participants will complete a baseline questionnaire and diabetes health data will be abstracted from the patients' electronic health record (EHR) before being assigned to the intervention or control arm. Participants will receive additional follow-up questionnaires and diabetes health data will be abstracted from the EHR at 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups to assess outcomes. In addition, system usage data (user analytics) will be collected throughout the study period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Other: Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal InterventionPatients have access to an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt) embedded with the Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention. . |
| Usual Care | No intervention | –Patients will have access to an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt) NOT embedded with the intervention (i.e., usual care). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Established patient with a participating primary care physician from a participating clinic
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Able to read in English
- Age 18 to 75 years old
- Mobile device (smartphone or tablet) with internet access
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- A medical condition that prevents use of a mobile device
- Pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study period
- Severe difficulty seeing
- On dialysis
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal InterventionThe Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention is embedded within an existing patient web portal (My Health at Vanderbilt). The intervention (a) notifies patients when selected, clinically meaningful, evidence-based diabetes monitoring \& preventative care (e.g., annual urine microalbumin) are due and (b) allows patients to initiate orders for the care. | Other | Intervention |
Primary outcome
Number of Participants With Diabetes Care Gaps at Baseline, 3 Months, 6 Months, and 12 Months
Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up
Number of diabetes care gaps per patient out of four possible: 1. no diabetes eye exam in the last 12 months, 2. no hemoglobin A1C blood test in the last 6 months, 3. no urine microalbumin in the last 12 months, and 4. no pneumococcal vaccination of any kind ( i.e., never received PPSV-23, PCV-13, PCV-15, or PCV-20) The presence of a diabetes care gap will be assessed by electronic health record (EHR) abstraction.
9 secondary outcomes
Patient Initiated Orders
Time frame: 12-month follow-up
Change in Understanding of Diabetes Monitoring and Preventative Care
Time frame: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Change in Confidence Toward Managing Diabetes in General
Time frame: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Change in Diabetes Distress
Time frame: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Satisfaction/Usability of My Health at Vanderbilt
Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up
Change in Blood Glucose Control
Time frame: Baseline to 12-month follow-up
Treatment Intensification
Time frame: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Change in Diabetes Self-efficacy
Time frame: Baseline to 3-month follow-up, baseline to 6-month follow-up, and baseline to 12-month follow-up
Reported Services Completed Outside Vanderbilt System
Time frame: 12-month follow-up
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Apr 2025.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 38941148Hackstadt AJ, Elasy TA, Gangaputra S, Harper KJ, Mayberry LS, Nelson LA, Peterson NB, Rosenbloom ST, Yu Z, Martinez W. Effects of a Patient Portal Intervention to Address Diabetes Care Gaps: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2024 Jun 28;13:e56123. doi: 10.2196/56123.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. After study results are posted on clinical trials and published in a peer-reviewed journal, de-identified individual participant data that underlie the results reported will be available upon requests made to the principal investigator and ending after 36 months after publication.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
William Martinez, MD, MS principal investigator
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Diabetes Care Gaps Patient Portal Intervention in people with Diabetes Mellitus, run by Vanderbilt University Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 9 Apr 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of Participants With Diabetes Care Gaps at Baseline, 3 Months, 6 Months, and 12 Months (time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04894903, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Apr 2025.