COMPUS Communiqué — Vol. 5, No. 5

Final Reports on Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Now Available

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health has released its final report on the practice of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in the management of diabetes.

• Gap Analysis and Key Messages for the Prescribing and Use of Blood Glucose Test Strips for the Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose

This report presents gaps in practice and prescriber knowledge that are related to SMBG. The gaps were identified by comparing the evidence, presented in the Optimal Therapy Recommendations for the Prescribing and Use of Blood Glucose Test Strips, with patterns of current use (Current Utilization of Blood Glucose Test Strips in Canada) and the current views of health care professionals and patients regarding SMBG (Current Practice Analysis of Health Care Providers and Patients on Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose).

This report also presents concise key messages that are designed to address these gaps and help policy-makers and practitioners optimize the prescribing and use of blood glucose test strips in the practice of SMBG.

The Project in Brief summary report, which provides an overview of the SMBG project, has also been released. This one-page report synthesizes the issue, methods, and results of the SMBG project and lists the key messages.

• Project in Brief

Visit our Reports page to access the full series of Optimal Therapy Reports on SMBG.

Intervention Tools Available in January 2010

A series of user-friendly intervention tools, designed to help stakeholders bring the evidence on SMBG into day-to-day practice, is in development and will be posted on the CADTH website in January 2010. These tools can be used by policy-makers, health care professionals, and consumers.

Rx for Change Interventions Database Now Updated

CADTH, in collaboration with the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group (EPOC) and the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group, is pleased to announce the latest update to the Rx for Change interventions database.

Rx for Change is a free online database that makes it easy to search for, find, and use the latest evidence about the effectiveness of programs that are designed to improve drug prescribing and use. The database contains summaries of key findings from systematic reviews that evaluate the effectiveness of strategies intended to target professionals and consumers, as well as the delivery of health care by organizations.

The Professional section of Rx for Change now includes reviews up to March 2009 and the Consumer section now includes reviews up to September 2008. If you are new to the database, our online tutorial can help you get started. It covers how the database is organized, the types of interventions available, tips on selecting interventions, and case studies that demonstrate real-world situations.

The next update to Rx for Change will be announced in April 2010.

CADTH Discontinues the Medication Prescribing and Use Project Collection

In 2005, CADTH launched the Medication Prescribing and Use Project (MPUP) Collection as a virtual forum for health care professionals and others interested in promoting optimal drug therapy initiatives to share their experiences.

Since its creation, other avenues for sharing optimal therapy initiatives have emerged, including social media and networking opportunities, which allow our stakeholders to connect and learn from each other. As a result, the MPUP Collection will be discontinued this month.

CADTH would like to thank all stakeholders who helped develop the MPUP Collection and promote its use. We will continue to provide important resources, such as Rx for Change, that support all those with an interest in optimal drug prescribing and use.

Tell Us How CADTH Products Are Being Used

We always want to hear about ways that CADTH research, tools, and services are influencing clinical practice, improving policies, and affecting patient outcomes. If you have a story to share about the impact of CADTH work in your organization, we want to hear it. Contact your local Liaison Officer to share your impact stories.

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