518-P: Enhancing CGM Utilization in Primary Care—Outcomes of a Comprehensive Education and Training Program in an Academic Institution

by sugaradmin



Introduction and Objective: Despite the proven benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in improving diabetes management, its adoption remains limited, particularly in primary care (PC) settings. This underutilization represents a critical gap in healthcare delivery.Methods: A CGM implementation program was launched within a large academic network to educate, train, and support primary care professionals—including residents, faculty, nursing staff, and ancillary personnel—on using CGM for insulin-treated patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Spanning over 25 PC clinics between February 2023 and December 2024, the program combined live and virtual conferences and hands-on clinic-based education sessions covering CGM placement, ordering, data interpretation, and workflow integration. After training, participants completed an anonymous, retrospective pre-post survey with a 4-point Likert scale and free-response questionsResults: A total of 650 healthcare professionals participated in the training program, comprising 42.9% providers and 57.1% support staff. Of them, 67.1% attended live conferences, and 32.9% participated in clinic-based face-to-face sessions. Level of comfort and expertise after training increased on CGM placement (67% to 92%), understanding benefits (68% to 93%), sensor-device ordering (53% to 77%), sensor-device connectivity (72% to 91%), and linking patients to the clinic’s data management platforms (53% to 74%); all p < 0.0001. All providers expressed interest, with 93% demonstrating strong interest for implementing CGM into their practice. Participants cited insurance challenges (29%), time constraints (18%), and insufficient training (16%) as the most significant barriers.Conclusion: Primary care professionals are eager to implement CGM but face several challenges when prescribing it. This study reinforces the need for improved clinician education on CGM technology, improving care for patients with diabetes.

Disclosure

I.C. Flores Shih: None. R. Celedon-Garcia: None. K. Zamudio-Coronado: None. B. Marshall: None. I.A. Castro-Revoredo: None. S. Kantipudi: None. A. Isaacs: None. G. Umpierrez: Research Support; Abbott, Dexcom, Inc., Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Corcept Therapeutics. Advisory Panel; Dexcom, Inc., GlyCare Health.



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