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Evaluation of the performance and outcomes for the first year of a diabetes rapid access clinic

Neroli Newlyn, Rachel T McGrath and Gregory R Fulcher
Med J Aust 2016; 205 (4): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.00460
Published online: 15 August 2016

Diabetes rapid access clinics (DRACs) have been identified by the New South Wales Agency for Clinical Innovation as a key component of an integrated diabetes model of care.1 This cost-effective model provides fast and comprehensive outpatient review and has been shown to circumvent hospital admission, decrease hospital length of stay and improve patient outcomes.2-5 Based on this approach, a nurse practitioner-led DRAC was established in February 2015 at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) in Sydney as a pilot program to assess the suitability of the DRAC for scalability across the Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD).


  • 1 Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW
  • 2 Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW



Acknowledgements: 

We thank David Small of the NSLHD Performance Unit for his assistance with cost analysis and interpretation, and Lyn Olivetti of NSLHD Chronic and Complex Care for facilitating interdisciplinary meetings.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Endocrine Health Network Working Party. Diabetes model of care 2008. Perth: Health Networks Branch, Department of Health, Western Australia; 2008. http://www.healthnetworks.health.wa.gov.au/modelsofcare/docs/Diabetes_Model_of_Care.pdf (accessed June 2016).
  • 2. Davidson MB, Ansari A, Karlan VJ. Effect of a nurse-directed diabetes disease management program on urgent care/emergency room visits and hospitalizations in a minority population. Diabetes Care 2007; 30: 224-227.
  • 3. Chan MF, Yee AS, Leung EL, Day MC. The effectiveness of a diabetes nurse clinic in treating older patients with type 2 diabetes for their glycaemic control. J Clin Nurs 2006; 15: 770-781.
  • 4. Benson G. The role of disease management in diabetes care. Diabetes Spectrum 2010; 23: 116-118.
  • 5. Ahmed RM, Green T, Halmagyi GM, Lewis SJG. A new model for neurology care in the emergency department. Med J Aust 2010; 192: 30-32. <MJA full text>

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