The impact of verbal communication on physician prescribing patterns in hospitalized patients with diabetes.
The purpose of this descriptive clinical research study was to identify which method of communication, verbal or written, has the greatest impact on physician adjustment of the antidiabetes medication regimen for hospitalized patients with hyperglycemia.



The medical records for 1026 patients hospitalized with diabetes at a large, metropolitan, not-for-profit teaching hospital were reviewed by the diabetes inpatient clinicians to identify hyperglycemia and the potential need to initiate or adjust the antidiabetes medication regimen. The study evaluated the effectiveness of verbal versus written communication between the diabetes inpatient clinician and the physician regarding cases where the current antidiabetes medication regimen was not optimal.



Verbal interaction between the diabetes inpatient clinician and the physician resulted in a greater number of changes in the antidiabetes medication regimen.



Communication modality correlates with changes in antidiabetes medications prescribed by physicians and may be an effective tool to facilitate inpatient glycemic control.
Martin
Kay
K
Kay Martin, Loletta Carter, and Donna Balciunas are American Healthways em­ployees who  work at Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland.
Carter
Loletta
L
Kay Martin, Loletta Carter, and Donna Balciunas are American Healthways em­ployees who  work at Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland.
Balciunas
Donna
D
Kay Martin, Loletta Carter, and Donna Balciunas are American Healthways em­ployees who  work at Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland.
Sotoudeh
Faranak
F
Dr. Sotoudeh is an endocrinologist in pri­vate practice and serves as the Medical Director for the Diabetes Center.|Prince George's Hospital Center pays Dr. So­toudeh a small monthly stipend to serve as the Medical Director.
Moore
Debbie
D
Debbie Moore and Joanne Westerfield are corporate employees of American Healthways.
Westerfield
Joanne
J
Debbie Moore and Joanne Westerfield are corporate employees of American Healthways.
D003142:Communication; D003211:Concurrent Review; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards*; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008396:Maryland; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000523:psychology*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014956:Writing
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents