Delays in Continuous Glucose Monitoring Device Initiation: A Single Center Experience and a Call to Change

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has been increasingly shown to be beneficial in patients with both types 1 and 2 diabetes using insulin. Despite this, challenges remain in obtaining coverage for these devices. We sought to define the process of initiation of CGM and better understand factors associated with successful initiation. A single-center retrospective cohort study of 271 patients seen over a 3-year period from 2017 to 2020 in the adult endocrinology clinic at Boston Medical Center who were prescribed CGM was performed. The primary outcome was time to CGM initiation. Secondary outcomes included factors associated with initiation and continued use of CGMs and glycemic control. Obtaining CGM through pharmacy benefit was significantly faster than through durable medical equipment companies (78 days vs. 152 days, P < 0.0001). Factors associated with initiation of CGM were younger age, private insurance, and education with a clinical diabetes educator. Identifying as black or Hispanic was significantly associated with decreased initiation of CGM. Glycemic control as represented by hemoglobin A1c improved in patients initiated on CGM from 9.06% to 8.22% (P < 0.001). Prescribing CGM as a pharmacy benefit significantly reduces the time to initiation, but on average, still takes several months, delaying potentially life-saving care for patients living with diabetes. Barriers to CGM initiation must be addressed to ensure timely delivery of optimal care to our patients.