title: A randomized study to assess the impact of pharmacist counseling of employer-based health plan beneficiaries with diabetes: the EMPOWER study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of pharmacist counseling on empowering people with diabetes to better self-care.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Community-based pharmacists can play a key role in educating and empowering people in such programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized trial compared the effects of pharmacist counseling (intervention group) with printed materials (control group) in diabetic beneficiaries of several employer-based health care plans. All participants also received waiver of out-of-pocket expenses for diabetic-related medications and supplies. Clinical, humanistic, and claim outcomes were evaluated at baseline and at 1 year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-seven beneficiaries participated in this study. The 0.50% decrease from baseline in glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) was statistically significant (P = .0008) in the intervention group and the difference between the groups approached statistical significance (P = .076). Beneficiaries in both groups had greater claim costs for diabetic-related medications and supplies during the study year. Both groups also improved in ability to manage their diabetes with the counseling group showing a significantly better understanding of diabetes (P = .0024).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a trend toward improvement in A1c in patients counseled by pharmacist with an increased utilization of diabetes-related medications and supplies. Counseling also improved diabetes knowledge and empowered patients to better diabetes management.
authors: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Portland, OR, USA. Dale.Kraemer@Jax.UFL.edu
authors: Dale F
authors: DF
authors: Kraemer
authors: Wayne A
authors: WA
authors: Kradjan
authors: Theresa M
authors: TM
authors: Bianco
authors: Judi A
authors: JA
authors: Low
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000191:economics; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human