This document proposes a pilot research project to use social media (blog, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook) to increase participation and understanding of diabetes self-management education among high-risk diabetic patients at VA hospitals. The goal is to build online tools to engage these patients, measure results through medical records, and improve compliance with treatment regimens. It aims to test if social media can create new communication channels between patients and providers and enhance access to healthcare. The technical approach involves using these digital platforms for education and analyzing patient data to measure the impact on health outcomes over time.

1. “Using Social Media (Blog, Twitter and U-Tube) To Increase Participation,
Understanding and Use of Diabetes Self Management Education Resources
Among VA High Risk Diabetic Patients.”
Dr. Boby D. Theckedath, M.D. (P.I.) CJLFHC, Dr. Tariq Hassan, M.D. CJLFHC, Dr. Edwin J. Zarling, M.D, CJLFHC, Dr. Tom Muscarello, Ph D, DePaul University, Tom
Hansen, M.S., CJLFHC, John D. Rinkema, FISO, CJLFHC, David R. Donohue, M.A., Qualitative Technologies, Inc., Janine Stoll, R.N. CJLFHC, Rosemary Trotta, NP, CJLFHC,
Kim Cannon, R.N., Milwaukee VAMC
PROJECT CHALLENGE
● The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, North Chicago,
IL in 2006 had 625 high-risk diabetes patients defined as those with a
HbA1c of > 9.0% of whom 48% either dropped out from, or did not
participate in a prescribed VA diabetes self-management education
programs The remaining 52% of these high-risk patients participated by
attending a one-day self-management education seminar. They showed an
overall HbA1c improvement of 1.13% in one year, and those with an HbA1c
of 9.0%, demonstrated a 3% improvement after one year. In 2010, the
Lovell Health Center’s is representative of a continuing national 48% drop
out or non-compliance education level across 153 VA health care centers.
● New education and communication solutions using social media( Blog,
Twitter, You Tube and Facebook) are needed to engage, educate and
support VA diabetes education and treatment interventions to successfully
engage non-compliant high risk (>9.0% A1C) VA diabetes patients to
become more engaged and knowledgeable about their diabetes treatment.
PROPOSED PILOT RESEARCH PROJECT APPROACH
Research goal is to build a (Blog, and use Twitter, Facebook and You Tube)
tools to engage high risk ( >9.0% A1c) VA diabetic patients and measure
results through EMR active participation in diabetes treatment regimes that
increase patient compliance and improve access to health care.
● Establish new levels of understanding and communication between patient
and providers by testing Social Media applications as a new
communications and educational channels.
● Enhance health access, quality of life and safety for all stakeholders
Operational Capability to be Provided:
1 Increase VA diabetes patient knowledge, understanding of disease
management and treatment ownership.
2. Identify socio-demographic factors including age, ethnic origin (fear,
stress, worry etc) impacting diabetes treatment, safety and satisfaction.
3. Assist medical staff in treatment planning and serving effectively all VA
diabetic patient groups.
TECHNICAL APPROACH
● New effort to modify principles pioneered in offeror research in
developing digital health education/communication at University of IL at
Chicago, Northwestern University and University of Wisconsin, Madison.
● Technology involved: Digital education and communication , SPSS
analysis, use VA patient (EMR) electronic medical records
1. Determine patient parameters and levels of diabetes understanding
2. Identify patients needs and comprehension of their disease state
3. Use A1c, lipid levels, blood pressure, smoking cessation, body weight,
and foot and eye status to measure variations of test and intervention VA
patient groups. Also, text analysis software will measure patient social
media communications to discover what discussion topics and issues are the
most/least important to patients.
4. Integrate research information into medical case management practice
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
● Survey methodology is an objective way of analyzing subjective patient
data which allows assessment of reliability and validity.
● Patient opinions, feelings and attitudes are not the stimulus, but the key.
● There is great richness in the subjective experience of the individual.
● Generating testable hypotheses in the absence of theory (Then use
scientific method to test the hypotheses.)
● Uses qualitative /quantitative methods to allow respondents to say
something about their own subjective attitudes that can be tested, measured
and compared.
● Uses factor analysis, data reduction and induction to generate testable
hypotheses
David R Donohue, M.A. QTinc@alumni.northwestern.edu
Qualitative Technologies, Inc. , Milwaukee, WI 53214