Diabetes education infrastructure and capacity in hospitals and home health agencies in Maryland and Pennsylvania

In this study, questionnaire data were described regarding diabetes education program capacity in Maryland and Pennsylvania hospitals, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and home health agencies (HHAs). Hospitals, HMOs, and HHAs in each state were asked to indicate whether they currently have a diabetes education program and, if not, whether they had such a program anytime within the past 10 years. Home health agencies were less likely to have had programs in the past and more likely to have recently established diabetes education programs. About half of hospitals currently without programs had a program sometime within the past 10 years. Hospitals in Maryland and Pennsylvania responded similarly; Pennsylvania HHAs were more likely to report having diabetes education programs than HHAs in Maryland. On the average, programs showed moderate levels of institutionalization. Respondents to the questionnaire believed that their programs would be sustained; these projections appeared to not be sensitive to availability of reimbursement.