Modernizing Diabetes Care Quality Measures

The proliferation of diabetes quality measures in the US since the mid-1990s has increased the burden of measurement without commensurate improvements in the quality of care or health outcomes. Measures in use today do not represent or incentivize achievement of care goals in all domains of quality that are necessary to achieve optimal diabetes health. We recommend reimagining and improving diabetes quality measurement through the following propositions: widespread adoption of new measures and modernization of existing measures across six domains of quality; use of a subset of new and modernized metrics as top-line measures for reporting and reimbursement; and optional use of the remaining new and modernized measures for evaluative purposes at all levels of the care delivery system to identify and address gaps in care quality and outcomes. These propositions would support practices and policies at all levels of the health care system to improve the health of people with diabetes.