The Economic Evaluation of Team Clinic-Group Approach to a Care Model of Early Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

INTRODUCTION: Glycemic control is challenging for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Team Clinic, a shared medical appointment model, has improved psychosocial outcomes in middle school patients with T1D. We aimed to evaluate the costs of delivering Team Clinic. METHOD: Participants were randomized into Team Clinic (n = 44) or usual care (n = 42) groups. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in 6-month total costs per subject ($3,204 [intervention] vs. $3,476 [control]. No significant differences were found in health care use, test strip use, or continuous glucose monitoring and/or pump. The intervention had more clinic visits (2.41 vs. 1.52 times) and a longer length of visit (2.34 vs. 0.74 hr, but no difference in provider time per patient per visit (median, 0.67 vs. 0.68 hr). DISCUSSION: The Team Clinic care model may help young adolescents with T1D improve psychosocial outcomes and increase completion of clinical visits without increasing costs.