Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) and Readmission Rates

Among the diffident groups of patients, those with chronic and severe medical conditions are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital. It is not surprising therefore that patients with diabetes have high readmission rates. Patients with diabetes have 40% higher re-hospitalization rates compared with those patients without diabetes, with 30-day readmission rates reported to range between 14% and 26%. It should be noted that almost 30% of the patients with diabetes are experiencing two or more hospital admissions per year, accounting for more than 50% of total hospitalizations and hospital health care costs. This research application will evaluate whether the initiation of Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) devices at the time of hospital discharge will lead to better glucose control and health outcomes compared to the use of "finger sticks" Point of Care (POC) following hospital discharge among patients with diabetes. This study will be a two arm (Real Time CGM vs POC) single center RCT at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. One hundred and twenty individuals will be recruited and randomly assigned (1:1) to either Real Time CGM or to POC following hospital discharge. All subjects will be followed from for 3 months post hospital discharge.