How we can really make a major impact on the U.S. healthcare system and the health of millions with diabetes.
For any number of reasons, since the COVID pandemic began, most of us wish we could either set the clock back to 2018 or that we had a magic wand and just ONE wish we could make come true.
The effects of the COVID pandemic make this especially true of patient health and the impact on life expectancy and the leading causes of death in the U.S. Both have had disturbing trends. Life expectancy is down sharply, and the leading causes of death are on the rise after many years of declines for most of them.
Let us take a closer look. Up until 2019, the U.S. healthcare system was experiencing significant decreases in the morbidity and mortality associated with the 10 leading causes of death. As I have reported before, most of the 10 leading causes of death declined noticeably up to 2019. Cancer and heart disease dropped significantly. Stroke and influenza also dropped, and it looked like we were in rather decent shape overall. Life expectancy was up to 78.8 years in 2019, but it slipped to 77.3 years in 2020. The decline of 1.5 years was the largest decline since World War II.
So, what happened? As in so many cases of healthcare issues, COVID happened. It resulted in over 1 million deaths in the U.S. and shined a light on the most vulnerable populations and the co-morbidities most likely to be associated with serious illness and death from COVID. Minorities, the elderly, and those with existing comorbidities fared the worst. Diabetes was the leading comorbidity to correlate with mortality from COVID. Four out of 10 COVID-related deaths were associated with patients having diabetes.
What does this have to do with the magic wand situation? While we do not yet know to what extent the respiratory season ahead of us will see a resurgence of COVID, that is not where the magic wand can make the most difference. In this column I plan to encourage you to wave the magic wand over diabetes to see how we can really make a major impact on the U.S. healthcare system and the health of millions. As you will see, diabetes is a factor not just for COVID but for many of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. But, between changes in lifestyle and newer medications, there is hope that we are beginning to turn the corner on management of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes.
What do the numbers show related to diabetes?
Before COVID swooped in and grabbed the No. 7 slot on the top 10 causes of morbidity and mortality, diabetes was No. 7. In the 2020 data, diabetes dropped to No. 8 solely due to the intrusion of COVID in the statistics.
How do changes in diabetes treatment and management influence the overall U.S. death rate, and what can we in the med/surg industry do about it? The magic wand impact can and will help in two ways. First, diabetes is associated with several of the other leading causes of death, including COVID, heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. Diabetes and its comorbidities represent over 47.3% of all causes of death in the U.S.
Secondly, the pandemic has reversed long-standing trends of reductions in morbidity and mortality and shows the disturbing impact the COVID pandemic had. As disturbing as it may be, most morbidities and mortalities have increased in that time, reversing long-standing trends. Heart disease is up 4.1%, stroke is up 4.9%. Influenza (which has been behind the curtain since the pandemic began) is up 5.7% and diabetes is up 14.8%, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
As a result of these statistics, a reduction in the incidence of diabetes, as well as better glycemic control, can have a powerful positive impact on the 10 leading causes of morbidity and mortality, leading to longer, healthier, and more productive lives. Responsibly managed, and in the absence of a new pandemic, improving the care and management of diabetes may well improve life expectancy in the U.S.
What do we have to offer for diabetes testing?
So, this is where the rubber meets the road. We have all the diagnostic and care management lab tools your customers could ask for. Most of the tests are also waived, which is another benefit for you and your customers. From routine urinalysis to glucose testing in office and at home, A1C, microalbumin and kidney function tests, we cover the essential diabetes tests, and we are taking advantage of newer technology like continuous glucose monitoring and connectivity solutions.
You also cover cardiac, coagulation and other tests important to manage comorbidities associated with diabetes. In short, you and your key lab manufacturers can cover the gamut of clinical conditions negatively impacted in the past three years.
What is the customer story, you ask? Simple, ask them the one crying need they must meet to improve patient care overall from a disease state perspective. I will be surprised if diabetes is not their primary concern and unmet need. Then share the data you have seen and offer your help and consultation to help them deliver the medical-surgical and laboratory products they need to be effective.
If I had a territory, I would even go one step further and ask what sorts of patient education and support they are offering (particularly for the larger practices). I am willing to bet they will point you to the literature they can and sometimes do make available. These days, this is simply not enough. With the popularity of virtual visits and dramatic improvements in virtual platforms, I would challenge whether they would consider setting up a virtual diabetic patient group and offering education and support. This sort of value-added program can help grow your business and make a positive impact on the health of your community. While it takes a commitment to time and resources from your customer it can really set your key customers apart from others. And it gives you and your key lab suppliers additional opportunities to share your knowledge.
There is a significant need to return the U.S. population to a better state of overall health, and improvements in diabetic care can be a gateway to success for you and your key customers. Your active consultation in this area can make a difference.