Increased A1c Testing among Members of A Large Coordinated Care Organization in Southern California

Volume 1 - Issue 5

June O Leary¹, Ning Fu², Janelle Howe³, Jeremy Rich⁴ and Glenn Melnick⁵*

Received: April 23, 2018;   Published: May 16, 2018

DOI: 10.32474/RRHOAJ.2018.01.000125

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Abstract

DaVita HealthCare Partners Medical Group (DHCP), a large coordinated care organization, implemented a population health program to expand the number of southern California members who receive an A1C test. The A1C test is used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, and to monitor blood glucose control in current diabetic patients. Prediabetes occurs when blood glucose levels are elevated, but not yet high enough to be considered diabetes and it places individuals at higher risk for developing diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic illness and serious complications such as kidney disease, loss of eyesight and amputation can occur when blood glucose is uncontrolled. A1C testing is key not only to the diagnosis and management of diabetes, but also to identification of Prediabetes to allow early intervention to delay or stop the transition to diabetes. This Mini Review reports on DHCP’s successful A1c testing expansion, which led to over 50,000 members on average receiving an A1c test for the first time each year of the 2007-2016 study period.

Keywords: A1C test; Diabetes; Prediabetes; Population health

Abstract| Introduction| Case Study Site, Study Goals and Results| Discussion| References|