Identifying Gaps in Inpatient Care of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Where Do We Go From Here?

摘要

Diabetes mellitus (DM) places a substantial burden on the US hospital system. Between 1988 and 2009, the number of DM-related hospital discharges rose from 2.8 million to nearly 5.5 million. Inpatient care accounts for the majority (43%) of total medical costs associated with DM. Moreover, hyperglycemia occurring among inpatients is associated with a multitude of adverse outcomes (for example, surgical site infections, greater mortality). Several professional organizations have now developed guidelines and standards for management. These standards present a nice road map to enhancing care, and include recommendations for choice of pharmacotherapy for hyperglycemia, glucose target ranges for inpatients, the need for both patient and practitioner education, and suggestions for types of glucometric data that should be collected.