Glucometrics: Where Are We Now?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Inpatient glucose data analysis, or glucometrics, has developed alongside the growing emphasis on glycemic control in the hospital. Shortcomings in the initial capabilities for glucometrics have pushed advancements in defining meaningful units of measurement and methods for capturing glucose data. This review addresses the growth in glucometrics and ends with its promising new state.

RECENT FINDINGS: Standardization, allowing for benchmarking and purposeful comparison, has been a goal of the field. The National Quality Foundation glycemic measures and recently enacted Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) electronic quality measures for hypo- and hyperglycemia have allowed for improved integration and consistency. Prior systems have culminated in an upcoming measure from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network. It is poised to create a new gold standard for glucometrics by expanding and refining the CMS metrics, which should empower both local improvement and benchmarking as the program matures.