Effectiveness of a Diabetes Focused Discharge Order Set Among Poorly Controlled Hospitalized Patients Transitioning to Glargine U300 Insulin

Diabetes is present in 25% of hospitalized patients; yet effective hospital discharge programs for patients with diabetes are understudied. In particular, patients who are initiating or intensifying insulin therapy have the most to benefit in terms of glycemic control. However, these patients are also particularly vulnerable to poor transitions of care for a variety of reasons, including the complexity of therapy, inadequate patient education, differences in patient and provider expectations, and insufficient resources. Disruption of insulin therapy following hospitalization is associated with higher HbA1c, shorter survival, and increased readmissions and medical costs. In a Society of Hospital Medicine Survey, only one fourth of hospitals were supported with written protocols to standardize medication, education, equipment, and follow-up instructions. However, discharge order sets have largely been limited to the inpatient setting and have not been utilized to guide insulin use at hospital discharge. This study will assess whether a nurse supported diabetes focused inpatient discharge order set (DOS) can improve post-discharge outcomes among hospitalized patients with poorly controlled insulin-requiring diabetes.