Diabetes clinic attendance improves diabetes management in an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population

Background: Optimal diabetes management involves frequent monitoring and achievement of outcome targets. A primary care diabetes clinic that provides a 'one-stop shop' may facilitate more regular review and improve patient care. Methods: A retrospective clinical audit was conducted of adult patients with type 2 diabetes, who attended an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) in Canberra during 2012 (n = 65). Diabetes clinic attendees were compared with non-attendees for the proportion meeting guidelines targets from The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Results: The average age of the patients was 56 years and 29% were smokers. There was a statistically significant difference between diabetes clinic attendees and non-attendees in meeting diabetes check guidelines, pneumococcal vaccination and use of hypoglycaemic medication. Despite this difference, clinical outcomes between the two groups were not statistically different. Discussion: A comprehensive diabetes clinic may improve management in the ACCHS setting. The clinic promotes regular checks and higher vaccination rates, although insufficient evidence exists to show that this translates to better clinical outcomes. This model may be transferrable to other primary care settings.