Diabetes Specialists Value Continuous Glucose Monitoring Despite Challenges in Prescribing and Data Review Process

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology and Diabetes Management
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is crucial for diabetes care, yet provider behaviors regarding its use and data interpretation remain understudied.
• Limited data exists on how clinicians approach CGM prescription and patient data review.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate diabetes providers' opinions on CGM, their facilitators and barriers to prescribing it, and their practices for reviewing CGM data.
• To understand the current landscape of CGM utilization and provider workflows in diabetes care.

Main Methods:

• A national survey was administered to healthcare providers managing patients with diabetes.
• The survey collected data on providers' perspectives on CGM, prescription practices, and data review habits.

Main Results:

• Most providers (73.2%) worked in academic settings, with endocrinologists (70.6%) being the primary respondents.
• Nearly 70% reported high CGM use in type 1 diabetes patients, while half used it in 10-50% of type 2 diabetes patients.
• Providers uniformly believed CGM improved quality of life and glycemic control, with most reviewing data at visits, but faced time and process challenges.

Conclusions:

• Despite strong provider endorsement of CGM, significant barriers including cost, insurance, and administrative burden impede wider adoption.
• Enhancing data access, streamlining workflows, and reducing administrative burdens are essential for increasing appropriate CGM use in diabetes populations.