Vizient, Inc. has released a report that highlights the disparities in care for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) based on the social needs of their neighborhoods. The findings indicate that T2D patients living in areas with the highest levels of social needs utilize more acute care services, experience lower rates of critical routine care, and have higher rates of complications. The report is titled "Measuring Type-2 Diabetes Care and Outcomes Across Patients and their Communities."
According to the CDC, the rising prevalence of diabetes is a significant challenge for both the healthcare system and patients. An estimated 11.6% of the U.S. population (38.4 million people) has type 1 or type 2 diabetes, while 38% of U.S. adults (97.6 million people) have prediabetes.
“When providers have the insights that highlight disparities among their patient populations, they can tailor interventions to the specific needs of their patients,” said Maddie McDowell, MD, senior principal, intelligence at Vizient. “Early diagnosis and management by a primary care physician is critical to the disease trajectory of type 2 diabetes.”
The report, produced as part of the Medicare Data Sharing for Performance Measurement Program, analyzes Medicare fee-for-service claims data along with the proprietary Sg2 dataset, which includes Medicare Advantage, commercial, and Medicaid payers, as well as the Vizient Vulnerability Index. Drawing on data from 2018 to 2022, the report provides insights on care utilization, prevention services, and early intervention.
Key findings include:
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Acute Care Utilization: Emergency department (ED) visit rates for adults with T2D aged 18 to 50 were more than twice as high in high social needs ZIP codes compared to low social needs areas. Inpatient hospitalization rates for adults aged 18 to 60 were also more than double in high social needs areas.
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Diabetes Prevention Services: Significant disparities were noted in diabetes prevention services, including smoking cessation counseling, nutritional guidance, and physical activity programs. Utilization rates for these services were less than half in high social needs areas compared to low social needs populations. For patients aged 18 to 29, only 16% in high social needs neighborhoods received these essential services, compared to 39% in low social needs neighborhoods.
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Early Intervention: The report emphasizes the importance of early intervention in primary care. T2D patients who did not see a primary care physician within 12 months of diagnosis were more likely to face complications or insulin dependence after five years. For patients aged 30 to 39, the rate of complications was 5.4% higher for those who had not seen their PCP in the first year following diagnosis.
Vizient is the nation’s largest provider-driven healthcare performance improvement company. Learn more about Vizient’s work as a CMS Qualified Entity.
