Diabetes Management – Hemoglobin A1c Test
This indicator reports the percentage of diabetic Medicare patients who have had a hemoglobin A1c (hA1c) test, a blood test which measures blood sugar levels, administered by a health care professional in the past year. This indicator is relevant because engaging in preventive behaviors allows for early detection and treatment of health problems. This indicator can also highlight a lack of access to preventive care, a lack of health knowledge, insufficient provider outreach, and/or social barriers preventing utilization of services.
Source
Source Description
The Dartmouth Atlas of Healthcare is an online repository of health data and maps based on information included in the massive Medicare database maintained by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The project uses Medicare claims data in conjunction with other demographic data to provide information and analysis about national, regional, and local markets, as well as hospitals and their affiliated physicians. The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care is produced and maintained by The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice.
For more information about this source, including methodologies and definitions, refer to the Dartmouth Atlas of Healthcare website.
Methodology
The Dartmouth Institute analyzes data drawn from enrollment and claims files from the Medicare program. Analysis is restricted to the fee-for-service population over age 65; HMO patients are not included. Indicator data include measures of primary care utilization, quality of care for diabetes, mammography, leg amputation and preventable hospitalizations. When appropriate, statistical adjustments are carried out to account for differences in age, race and sex.
More information can be found in Regional and Racial Variation in Primary Care and the Quality of Care among Medicare Beneficiaries .
Data Breakouts Available
- Medicare Enrollees with Diabetes with Annual Hemoglobin A1c Test by Year, 2008 through 2019
This indicator is available at the following subscription levels:
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