Many patients have high blood sugar before, during, or after their surgeries. Patients who have high blood sugar have worse outcomes, including infections and longer hospital stay than patients who do not have high blood sugar. People with and without diabetes can have high blood sugar before, during and after their surgeries.
A research study in Alberta found that many patients have high blood sugar after their surgery. Even more concerning, many patients do not have their blood sugar measured after their surgery. When patients do have blood sugar measurement, 67% had high blood sugars and many patients did not receive the right treatment for those high blood sugars. Overall, we saw that there are important quality gaps in blood sugar management that may be causing worse patient outcomes.
We have developed a pathway to guide healthcare providers on how to better care for patients with high blood sugar before, during, and after surgery.
We are looking for patient partner input and insights on:
What outcomes are important to patients?

1. Is anything missing in the pathway that may be important for patients?
2. How can we communicate these steps with patients and their caregivers?
3. How can we communicate these steps with patients and their caregivers?

We are looking for patients who have had surgery in Alberta in the past five years, and for patients who have diabetes and patients who do not have diabetes.

Patient partners will contribute to working group activities, providing their advice and perspectives on the pathway and its evaluation, including on survey development, additions or changes to the pathway to make it more patient-centred, and communication about the pathway.

This would involve 1-2 online, patient partner led meetings per year.

This project anticipates to begin summer 2022 and will run for three years. Patient partner input will be required most in the first year of the project.

Compensation will be offered at a rate of $25/hour for meeting attendance and preparation. This is an online opportunity so there are no travel and parking expenses associated with collaboration.