Partnership Improves Care for People with Diabetes

Submission Date: December 2009

State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: Utah

States/Territories Involved: Utah

Domain Addressed:

Health Systems Strategies

Public Health Issue:

• People with diabetes may be unaware of recommended management standards for their disease and health provider systems may lack accountability measures for meeting these recommendations within their care system.
• When the medical care of people with diabetes meets recommended standards, such those set by HEDIS, the Health Employer Data Information Set, serious and costly disease complications are reduced and people with diabetes have a better quality of life.

Program Action:

• The Utah Diabetes Prevention and Control Program formed the Utah Health Plan Partnership with the state’s major health plans to increase diabetes awareness among clients and providers and to implement and improve systems-based care.
• Using the Health Employer Data Information Set (HEDIS), the Partnership identified areas for improvement in diabetes awareness and care. For example, a low percentage of people with diabetes met the criteria for having a regular eye exam – important for reducing blindness and other serious eye-related complications of diabetes.
• Projects developed and implemented by the Partnership health plans include:
  • Increasing client and provider awareness of key clinical indicators for diabetes, such as desirable A1C levels, a measure of blood sugar control.
  • Increasing system supports for the delivery of diabetes care and the measurement, tracking, and reporting of important indicators related to this care
  • Implementing health plan member reminder/call back systems focused on the indicators and on medication compliance
  • Providing feedback to members and providers related to their performance
  • Implementing comprehensive, standardized data collection, evaluation, and reporting

Impact/Accomplishments:

• The Partnership interventions achieved the following:
  • Improved eye exam rates and the documentation of these exams for clients
  • Improved rates of blood sugar and blood lipid measurement and control. Good control of blood sugar and blood lipids can reduce complications such as blindness, kidney failure and heart attack for people with diabetes.
  • Increased the rate of recommended nephropathy screening. Early detection of nephropathy and taking preventive measures can delay progression to more advanced kidney disease.

Program Areas:

Diabetes

State Contact Information:

Utah
Darin Larson
Utah Department of Health
801-538-7013
dlarson@utah.gov

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