Patient-Reported Barriers and Limitations to Attending Diabetes Group Visits

Abstract

Purpose: Through this exploratory study, we sought to understand why group visit participation is low among adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Eligible study participants included adult patients with type 2 diabetes. After a pilot survey was sent to a random sample of 48 patients, the remaining 187 eligible patients were invited to complete a revised version of the survey. Results: Most frequently cited reasons for not attending group visits included diabetes under control, work and/or other responsibilities, and time barriers. There was variability in the desired time for the visits, though the majority of patients preferred evening visits. While some patients reported copays as a challenge, the likelihood of attending did not decrease for this subgroup. Most patients surveyed (54%) indicated interest in diabetes group visits. Conclusion: Implementing strategies to address the patient-identified system barriers (eg, time, transportation, and copays) may increase participation in diabetes group visits.