Therapeutic Inertia The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
A collaborative care program helping diabetes teams act timely and safely on every opportunity to improve care.
About the Project
An overview of our research mission and goals.
The Therapeutic Inertia Intervention Program (TIIP) is a structured, team-based intervention for adults with diabetes mellitus, developed in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Qatar University.
TIIP embeds clinical pharmacists, nurses, diabetes educators, and dietitians into the care pathway, using the days before each clinic visit to prepare individualized treatment plans, so that every patient encounter ends with a clear decision, a documented reason, and a follow-up plan.
The program is currently being evaluated in a feasibility pilot: a cluster-randomized controlled trial comparing TIIP to usual care across HMC endocrinology clinics, as a first step toward a definitive Phase 3 trial.
Designed around the American Diabetes Association's Overcoming Therapeutic Inertia (OTI) principles, TIIP tackles inertia in both directions, intensifying treatment when control slips, and simplifying it when treatment becomes a burden.
Definition
Therapeutic Inertia
Therapeutic inertia is the failure to initiate, intensify, or, when needed, de-intensify treatment, despite readings that clearly call for a change.
It is not a single missed decision. It is a pattern: stable regimens in the face of unstable numbers, repeated across visits. Crucially, inertia runs in both directions, ignoring a rising HbA1c is inertia, but so is leaving a patient on insulin they no longer need while they experience recurrent hypoglycemia.
Therapeutic inertia is a systems property, not a personal failing — the predictable result of time pressure, fragmented records, and unowned tasks. And not every gap is true inertia: sometimes inaction is justified, safe clinical judgment. The difference always lies in a documented reason.
Research Calculator
An interactive tool for assessing therapeutic inertia in clinical visits.
Explore
Browse the key sections of our research platform.
Resources
Curated materials and references for researchers and clinicians.
Learning Videos & Micromodules
Interactive video content with knowledge-check quizzes.
For Patients
Information and tools designed specifically for patients and caregivers.
Myths & Misconceptions
Debunking common myths about therapeutic inertia and treatment delays.
Information Pamphlets
Downloadable pamphlets for patient education and awareness.
How to Talk to Your Practitioner
Guidance on effective communication with healthcare providers.
Educational Videos
A library of educational content for all audiences.
Get in Touch
Have questions about our research? We'd love to hear from you.