Checklist: Offering Diabetes Tech Consistently Across Patients 

When to use this check

• You’re unsure if a patient is a good candidate for diabetes technology
• Cost or coverage feels like a barrier
• A patient has struggled with technology before
• You want to ensure consistent decisions across patients

Why this matters

Variation in how diabetes technology is offered is well documented. Studies have shown that:

• Some patient groups including those with public insurance and certain racial and ethnic populations are less likely to use technologies such as CGM and insulin pumps.
• Insulin-requiring individuals with type 2 diabetes are less consistently offered technology compared to those with type 1 diabetes.
• Older adults may be less likely to be offered technology due to assumptions about usability.

Supporting more consistent decision-making is one step toward improving access, use and outcomes across patient populations.

Alignment with ADA Standards of Care

The ADA Standards of Care emphasize person-centered diabetes care, appropriate use of diabetes technology and addressing barriers that may affect access and outcomes. The Standards also call on health systems to assess gaps in diabetes care and outcomes by factors such as insurance status, race, ethnicity, preferred language, disability, and social determinants of health.

This 2-minute check is intended to help clinicians apply those principles at the point of decision-making, especially before deciding a patient is not a candidate for CGM, insulin pump therapy, or automated insulin delivery.

More Resources

Addressing Implicit Bias in Diabetes Care | ADCES

Improving Access: Screening Through a Health Equity Lens