Integrazione, gestione e assistenzaIGEA: Translating scientific evidence into clinical practice for improving the quality of care and overcoming inequalities by developing national-level standards
Within the National Prevention Plan, the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (the Italian National Institute of Health) is developing the IGEA project, aimed at the definition of a comprehensive strategy for implementing effective care for people with diabetes. Its goal is to ensure a person-centered, evidence-based, comprehensive and integrated model of care.
The project was partially funded by the Italian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health.
IGEA: A CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROJECT FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES
Chronic diseases can be prevented and controlled using available knowledge. Moreover, the solutions are not only effective but can be highly cost-effective. Chronic care model and disease management have emerged, in the last decades, as new models of care delivery. The two models share the objective of improving the quality of care for people with chronic diseases while optimizing health care expenditure. In Italy, within the National Prevention Plan, the Italian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health, and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) are developing the IGEA project, which defines a comprehensive strategy for implementing a chronic disease management intervention for people with diabetes. Read the article "IGEA - A chronic disease management project for people with diabetes" by Marina Maggini (ISS), published on Annals of Italian National Health Institute (2009).
THE
NATIONAL GUIDANCE ON THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES
MELLITUS – 2012
The document, updates the 2008 version. Minimum clinical and organisational requirements for an integrated management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, including a system of indicators, were provided. Recommendations were formulated, by a multidisciplinary work group, according to GRADE method, which implies an evaluation of the quality of evidence and of the patients’ values and expectations, a benefit/risk ratio judgement and an assessment of the practical feasibility of what is being recommended. The multidisciplinary work group included all the key stakeholders involved in the management of diabetes: diabetologists, internal medicine specialists, general practitioners, representatives of patients, policy makers, epidemiologists, diabetes nurses, dieticians, and methodologists. A systematic review of the biomedical literature was then performed to identify high quality scientific evidence to be appraised and discussed by the panel. The recommendations provided by the document are aimed at improving the quality of care for persons with diabetes through an integrated and shared approach among all stakeholders involved. The target audience are policy makers, practitioners, patients and all the healthcare workers involved in the care of diabetes.
THE IGEA PROJECT: INFORMATION SYSTEM
The document describes the information requirements for developing the management system for type 2 diabetes in adults and is available on line. The document was created as a means of allowing all of the individuals involved to exchange and share the information necessary for realising the program, in accordance with the requirements for healthcare and clinical management. In fact, this document provides a general description of the topics related to the information systems needed to support the program of management within the IGEA project.
THE IGEA PROJECT: THE TRAINING MANUAL
This training manual is a tool aimed to health professionals participating at "Diabetes disease management: objectives and organization" training course. The course is part of the national cascade-training program proposed within the IGEA project and is aimed to support Italian Regions through the implementation of disease management programs. Apart from specific contents on diabetes disease management and communication, its purpose is to promote multi-professional team working and communication in a community of practice perspective, involving health professionals, persons with diabetes and other relevant stakeholders.