Empowering Underserved Populations: CGM’s Vital Role in Advancing Health Equity

Addressing health disparities in underserved populations requires innovative solutions that prioritize equity and access. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has the potential to make a significant impact on diabetes care , which disproportionately affects vulnerable communities. Expanding access to CGM technology can empower individuals to better understand and manage their health and bridge the gap in health outcomes. However, unlocking the full potential of CGM hinges on two critical factors: adequate insurance coverage and primary care's ability to efficiently review, interpret, and act on the valuable insights it provides. By tackling these barriers, the power of CGM can be harnessed to drive better care and outcomes for those who need it most.

Embracing Remote Patient Monitoring for Enhanced Accessibility

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has revolutionized diabetes care by making it more convenient and accessible, especially for those living in areas with limited resources or healthcare options. Traditional diabetes treatment approaches, which rely on in-office hemoglobin A1c checks and manual home glucose logging, can result in irregular monitoring and delayed intervention. RPM takes a significant leap forward by enabling patients to share their glucose data remotely. There are two distinct devices for monitoring glucose that can be used in RPM programs: connected glucometers and CGM. Traditional blood glucose monitors, or glucometers, measure blood glucose at a single moment in time. Patients may take their blood glucose 1-6 times a day with a traditional glucometer. Connected glucometers allow patients to transmit glucose readings from their glucometer to their healthcare provider, so that clinicians can see trends in the daily readings. In contrast, CGM technology goes a step further by providing continuous glucose data, eliminating the need for multiple finger sticks a day, and offering a more comprehensive understanding of glucose levels throughout the day and over time.

Both connected glucometers and CGM technology reduce access challenges and the need for frequent in-person visits, enabling medical professionals to review and analyze glucose data remotely and make timely, data-driven decisions. This proactive approach alleviates the burden on patients and leads to improved health outcomes. CGM, in particular, provides a more detailed picture of glucose levels, enabling healthcare providers to make more precise adjustments to treatment plans and improve patient care. Harnessing the power of RPM, especially CGM, is the key to bridging the gap in diabetes care.

Scalable Solutions for Improved Health Outcomes and Reduced Costs

Many studies have shown that the integration of CGM into a diabetic patient's care regimen leads to substantial improvements in glycemic control. For underserved populations, this represents a leap forward in health management. One key advantage of CGM is its ability to provide real-time data, allowing for proactive treatment adjustments that can stop or reverse worsening diabetes and complications. However, in order for providers and patients to get the most out of CGM insights, CGM data should be available within the provider’s EHR workflow and presented alongside other relevant clinical information about the patient.

Additional insights like how many days a sensor has been worn and how much time they spent in the target range should be easily assessed.

Rimidi’s diabetes management platform, for example, provides in-workflow notifications for the amount of time a patient spends in the target blood glucose range during a specified time period, i.e. time in range (TIR), as well as how many days the sensor has been worn. In addition, Rimidi includes a Glycemic Risk Index so providers can quickly assess how well a patient is doing over time, manage a population and predict outcomes from intervention. The metrics are combined with other information – like medication, lab results and diagnoses – so physicians can see the whole picture of the patient’s health.

Enhanced glucose monitoring with CGM has been directly linked to a reduction in hemoglobin A1c levels and a lower incidence of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic episodes. Quickly identifying impending glucose imbalances translates to a reduction in hospital stays and ER visits — expenses that pose a financial strain, particularly on underserved populations.

Pursuing Equity: Breaking Down Barriers to CGM Access

Greater adoption of CGM in marginalized communities encourages individual empowerment in the fight for improved health equity. Underserved populations typically face daunting health disparities, as access to cutting-edge medical technology is often limited by socioeconomic factors. This results in inconsistent access, though some progress has been made. Medicaid CGM coverage varies significantly from state to state, with disparities in eligible patients, prior authorizations, required documentation, eligible prescribers, and benefit classification. Efforts to address disparities have been slow. As of May 2023, 45 states and the District of Columbia offer some level of CGM fee-for-service coverage, which is an increase – though a modest one – from 40 states in December 2021.

Medicare's expansion of CGM coverage to all people with type 2 diabetes on insulin is driving adoption and incorporation into Standards of Care. This is encouraging progress, but there is still much work to be done. In fact, intensified efforts will help to ensure that expanded coverage is complemented by healthcare teams actively demonstrating the benefits of CGM. This includes leveraging innovative tools like Time in Range (TIR) and the Glycemic Risk Index (GRI), which enhance clinicians' use of CGM data and address scalability challenges.

Hearing about the experiences of caregivers who utilize these tools — and patients who benefit from them — is crucial to the CGM dialogue. Sharing the value of platform enhancements, such as the integration of Clinical Decision Support (CDS) systems, empowers patients and providers to make informed decisions and supports the evolution of diabetes management. Moreover, the growing collection of personal testimonials showcases CGM's transformative impact. Each story underscores the importance of inclusive, patient-led technology integration, highlighting the need for continued progress in diabetes care.

CGM Supports Visions of a Robust, Inclusive Healthcare Ecosystem

Our vision for healthcare ecosystems of the future revolves around inclusion, innovation and impact. CGM embodies these tenets and can be seamlessly woven into the healthcare landscape, leading to the inclusion of every individual — regardless of location or socioeconomic status. This is especially important as more primary care providers look to scale their practices to include CGM. As the technology’s use grows, practitioners will need systems to support interpreting the wave of new data for broader population health management across a panel of patients on CGM.

Looking to better support your CGM patients with actionable insights in your workflow? Start your journey with Rimidi by contacting us today.