Frequency of HgbA1c testing as a measure of diabetes care in Louisiana.
The Frequency of HgbA1c Testing Project is a continuous quality improvement project designed to measure and improve the frequency of HgbA1c testing among Medicare diabetic patients in Louisiana. Louisiana Medicare Part B electronic claims data from June 1995 to December 1996 were used to construct diabetes quality of care type indicators. A total of 47,270 Medicare, Part B eligible, non-HMO, diabetic patients were identified and studied. The statewide baseline results indicated that only 24% of the Medicare diabetic patients were covered by an HgbA1c test within 180 days from their last physician office visit. Twenty-one percent (21%) of practicing primary care physicians had none of their diabetic patients tested for HgbA1c within 180 days from the patient's last office visit. Overall, only 18% of all primary care physicians "seized" the opportunity to perform an HgbA1c test within this time frame. Twenty-two percent (22%) of Louisiana primary care physicians had never seized the opportunity to check for HgbA1c on eligible patients. Interventions and strategies are being implemented statewide in order to improve the low HgbA1c testing rates.
Deichmann
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Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Kumar
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D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006452:Hemoglobinometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008145:Louisiana; D016345:Medicare Part B / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D013997:Time Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin