Status of Diabetes Care Among Community Pharmacy Patients With Diabetes: Analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Objective:  To determine the status of diabetes care among community pharmacy patients with diabetes.

Design:  Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting:  United States, 2005.

Patients:  1,455 community pharmacy patients aged 18 years or older with diabetes who were diagnosed before 2005.

Intervention:  Analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

Main outcome measures:  Proportions of patients meeting American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of medical care in diabetes.

Results:  In 2005, 1,455 patients with diabetes who were diagnosed before 2005 filled prescriptions through community pharmacies. Gaps occurred between the diabetes care of these patients and ADA standards. Examples include the following: ADA recommends at least two glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) tests annually, but 19.52% of the study population reported less than two A1C tests in 2005; ADA recommends annual influenza vaccinations, but 42.46% of the study population reported not receiving an influenza vaccination in 2005; and ADA recommends weight control, but 83.74% of the study population was overweight or obese.

Conclusion:  The current results demonstrate that many patients with diabetes are not receiving adequate care and that pharmacists have an opportunity to improve diabetes management.