A three-pronged approach was taken, with a key prong being the implementation of a “Hypoglycaemia Hotline”.
In this pathway, paramedics inform the specialist diabetes team of any 999 calls made that report hypoglycaemia, and appropriate and swift follow-up is then carried out.
The article outlines the development and success of this innovation. This has resulted in a >30% reduction in paramedic call its with a > 20% reduction in hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia
As a diabetes centre, we are fortunate to have such an eclectic mixture of professionals and managers within the same system who have come together for the betterment of patient pathways.
We feel such pathway improvements can be replicated in other areas but that this hinges, most significantly, on relations between commissioners and providers, along with the willingness to work across multiple providers.
This innovative work has already been picked up in several areas of the country-as well as being recognised in the Guardian Healthcare Awards Further information available on: http://www.porthosp.nhs.uk/departments/Diabetes-and-Endocrinology/Documents/HypoHotline.pdf