The concept of group visits for diabetic patients received a big boost in Northern Florida in the past year, due in part to the efforts of FP Edward Shahady, M.D., professor, department of family medicine and rural health, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
Shahady coordinates the program that helped FPs Scott Whiddon, M.D., and Chuck Kent, M.D., learn how to conduct group visits (see Group visits mix learning with laughter).
"I no longer do the visits, but I teach other physicians how to do group visits," said Shahady.
Group Visits Get Boost From Florida AFP Foundation Pilot Project
By Sheri Porter
2/1/2005
This story first appeared in the February 2005 FP Report.
Group visits are a much-needed innovation for treatment of chronic disease, in part because they help eliminate the isolation patients feel, said Shahady. "Patients learn from other patients how to live with their disease. And a two-hour session gives the patients and the physician time to discuss and better understand issues."
Grants from Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca allowed the Florida AFP Foundation to fund a model training program -- the Master Diabetes Clinician Program -- training that both Whiddon and Kent completed last year as part of the group visit pilot project.
According to Shahady, the pilot project includes a Web-based diabetes registry into which Whiddon, Kent and two other physician participants have entered names of 450 patients with diabetes.
Physicians participating in the pilot project have committed to a five-year stint.
Shahady said the project should help improve outcomes for patients with diabetes, as well as improve patient and physician satisfaction. He hopes to bring 24 additional practices into the pilot project.
Grants from Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca allowed the Florida AFP Foundation to fund a model training program -- the Master Diabetes Clinician Program -- training that both Whiddon and Kent completed last year as part of the group visit pilot project.
According to Shahady, the pilot project includes a Web-based diabetes registry into which Whiddon, Kent and two other physician participants have entered names of 450 patients with diabetes.
Physicians participating in the pilot project have committed to a five-year stint.
Shahady said the project should help improve outcomes for patients with diabetes, as well as improve patient and physician satisfaction. He hopes to bring 24 additional practices into the pilot project.
