The Quality of Diabetes Care

What exactly defines "success" when it comes to fighting diabetes? How can we make clinical progress in the way we approach the disease? Clinical quality needs to be measured effectively to help ensure that patients are receiving optimal care. Only then will we know what really works to change diabetes.

The Clinical Barometer assesses the current state of diabetes measurement in the U.S. and identifies opportunities for building upon and improving what is already being done. The research is divided into two parts: a complete environmental scan that identifies current diabetes measures including blood glucose management, comorbidities and risk factors among others, and in-depth interviews with leaders of those organizations whose measures were reviewed in the scan.

Key Findings

• Clinical diabetes data are collected and analyzed by multiple organizations working independently, with minimal coordination and sharing of findings. As a result, there is no unified data source, which makes it difficult for researchers and policymakers to assess progress in diabetes care and outcomes.
• Significant gaps in diabetes measurement exist including:
  • Primary prevention is not well addressed by current measures.
  • Long term outcomes such as amputations, blindness, end-stage renal disease, and mortality due to diabetes, are not a focal point of most measure sets.
  • There is a lack of measurement of the un-insured and under-insured diabetes populations.
  • Patient perspectives such as satisfaction with care, quality of life, and engagement in and understanding of care are not usually measured for diabetes patients.
• Strong national leadership is needed to advance a vision for optimal diabetes care supported by enhanced clinical measurement and appropriate electronic health record development.

Research commissioned by Novo Nordisk through its Changing Diabetes® leadership initiative.
Source: Leas BF, Berman B, Kash KM et al. Quality measurement in diabetes care. Population Health Management. 2009; 12, (5); 265-271.

Research Team

The Clinical Barometer environmental scan and qualitative interviews were conducted by the Jefferson School of Population Health located in Philadelphia, PA. Jefferson's learning community is comprised of clinicians, physicians, researchers, and educators.

1. Leas BF, Berman B, Kash KM et al. Quality measurement in diabetes care. Population Health Management. 2009; 12, (5); 265-271.

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