Of the 37 million people in the United States who are living with diabetes and hyperglycemia, 12 million are admitted to the hospital each year. Inpatients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes account for an estimated 600,000 of those admissions.
Leah Binder
President and CEO, The Leapfrog Group
People living with diabetes represent up to one-third of hospitalized patients. And while all patients face serious risk of harm from preventable medical errors, injuries, and infections, people living with diabetes are even more vulnerable. Inequity makes those risks even greater for some patients. For instance, Black and Indigenous people with diabetes are 30% more likely than white people with diabetes to undergo amputation.
There are established and tested best practices for hospitals to safely care for inpatients living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and some hospitals excel in this area. That’s why the Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers focused on healthcare safety and quality, joined with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to launch a new program that honors hospitals going the distance for this vulnerable population: Recognized Leaders in Caring for People Living with Diabetes.
Going the extra mile
The aim of the program is to galvanize hospitals to take the appropriate actions to protect patients living with diabetes. Recognized hospitals do the following, among other things:
- Provide safe, high-quality care for people living with diabetes
- Implement blood glucose (blood sugar) testing and hypoglycemia protocols
- Engage in specialized preparation for inpatient surgery
- Plan meals and insulin regimen
- Offer robust discharge planning for high-risk patients with diabetes
Patients living with diabetes who may need hospital care should ask their hospitals about protocols and practices they have in place to protect them from preventable harm. This program aims to encourage more hospitals to put patients first and prioritize the specialized needs of patients living with diabetes.
In March, Leapfrog and the ADA annouced the first hospitals to receive national designation as Recognized Leaders in Caring for People Living with Diabetes. The designation reflects a strong commitment to the safety and well-being of hospitalized people living with diabetes. Hospitals earning the Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes designation include:
California:
- Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
New Jersey:
- AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center – Atlantic City Campus
- AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center – Mainland Campus
- Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center
New York:
- Glen Cove Hospital
Ohio:
- Licking Memorial Hospital
- The Christ Hospital
Pennsylvania:
- Geisinger Lewistown Hospital
- Geisinger Medical Center
- Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital
- Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
- Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest
- Lehigh Valley Hospital – Muhlenberg
Texas:
- Midland Memorial Hospital
- Texas Health Huguley Hospital
- Titus County Hospital District dba Titus Regional Medical Center
Washington:
- EvergreenHealth
We are proud to honor these hospitals and encourage others across the country to apply for this annual recognition. Applications for 2025 Recognized Leaders in Caring for People Living with Diabetes open July 1, 2024, and close November 30. Winners will be announced in spring 2025.
