Original Paper

The Quality of Diabetes Care following Hospitalization for Ischemic Stroke
Nancy Pandhi^{a, b}, Maureen A. Smith^a, Amy J.H. Kind^{a, c, d}, Jennifer R. Frytak^e, Michael D. Finch<sup>f

a</sup>Department of Population Health Sciences,
^bDepartment of Family Medicine and
^cDepartment of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and
^dWilliam S. Middleton Hospital, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Madison, Wisc.,
^ei3 Innovus, Eden Prairie, Minn., and
^fFinch and King, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Cerebrovasc Dis 2009;27:235-240 (DOI: 10.1159/000196821)

  Key Words

• Cerebrovascular accident
• Diabetes mellitus
• Quality of care

  Abstract

Background: Follow-up is critically important for stroke survivors with diabetes, yet there is limited research about the quality of diabetes care that these patients receive. We investigated performance on diabetes quality of care indicators for stroke survivors overall and by race. Methods: Claims data was extracted for 1,460 Medicare beneficiaries with preexisting diabetes who survived hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke in 2000. Adjusted probabilities of receiving HbA1c, LDL and dilated eye exams were estimated using logistic regression. Results: 53% had a dilated eye exam, 60% received an LDL check, 73% percent had their HbA1c checked at least once and only 51% received two or more HbA1c checks. In the unadjusted results, blacks were significantly less likely than whites to receive these tests. Conclusions:Care of stroke survivors, particularly blacks, shows gaps according to guidelines.

Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Nancy Pandhi
557 WARF Office Building
610 Walnut St.
Madison, WI 53726 (USA)
Tel. +1 608 263 9437, Fax +1 608 263 2820, E-Mail nancy.pandhi@fammed.wisc.edu

  Article Information

Received: September 12, 2008
Accepted: October 2, 2008
Published online: January 29, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 28