Do group visits improve HbA1c more than individual visits in patients with T2DM?

Abstract

Do group visits improve HbA1c more than individual visits in patients with T2DM? Evidence-based answer: Yes. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), group visits led by health professionals or teams improved glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) by 0.3% to 0.9% over usual care (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials [RCTs] with moderate to high risk of bias). Patients taking oral antidiabetic agents alone appear to benefit more than patients on insulin. Peer-led group visits likely have no effect (SOR: B, subgroup analysis within a meta-analysis). Treatment durations as long as 3 years are associated with larger decreases in HbA1c (by 0.25% per year) than treatment lasting less than a year (SOR: B, meta-analysis of RCTs involving patents with type 1 diabetes and T2DM). Patients with T2DM should be offered group visits for diabetes education when available (SOR: C, expert opinion).