Quality priorities related to the management of type 2 diabetes in primary care: results from the COMPAS + quality improvement collaborative

This study aims to describe the main type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) quality improvement (QI) challenges identified by primary care teams in the province of Quebec who participated in the COMPAS + QI collaborative.

A qualitative descriptive design was used to analyse the results of 8 COMPAS + workshops conducted in 4 regions of the province between 2016 and 2020. Deductive content analysis was performed to classify the reported QI priorities under the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains; and proposed change strategies under the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) intervention functions.

A total of 177 participants attended the T2DM COMPAS + workshops. Three QI priorities were identified: (1) lack of coordination and integration of T2DM care and services; (2) lack of preventive services for pre-diabetes and T2DM; and (3) lack of integration of the patients-as-partners approach to support T2DM self-management. The proposed QI strategies to address those priorities were classified under the education, training, persuasion, habilitation and restructuring BCW intervention functions.

This study provides insights on how QI collaboratives can support the identification of QI priorities and strategies to improve T2DM management in primary care.