What is the cost of quality for diabetes care?

Abstract

Increasing the quality of care and reducing cost growth are core objectives of numerous private- and public-sector performance improvement initiatives. Using a unique panel data set for a commercially insured population and multivariate regression analysis, this study examines the relationship between medical care spending and diabetes-related quality measures, including provider-initiated processes of care and patient-dependent quality activities. Empirical evidence generated from this analysis of the relationship between a comprehensive set of diabetes quality measures and diabetes-related spending does not lend support for the assumption that high-quality preventive and primary care combined with effective patient self-management can lead to lower costs in the near term. Finally, we find no relationship between adjusted spending and intermediate clinical outcomes (e.g., HbA1c level) measured at the clinic level.

Keywords: cost; diabetes; disease management; employer-based population; quality.