Preventing Diabetes-Related Hospitalizations: A Proactive Approach for Better Patient Care

What if you could prevent your patients from ending up in the emergency room or being hospitalized due to diabetes complications? For people with diabetes, acute care is sometimes needed due to issues like severe hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, or related comorbidities.

Research shows that people with diabetes face a ninefold increased risk of hospitalization compared to those without the condition.¹ They are not only admitted more frequently but also tend to have longer hospital stays. This drives up costs for both patients and the healthcare system, while also reducing productivity.²

Besides the financial burden, hospitalizations often mean missed workdays, disrupted routines, and added stress for patients and providers. It can feel like you are constantly reacting instead of managing the condition proactively.

The good news is that many diabetes-related ER visits and hospital stays are preventable. In this post, we will explore how regular reviews of CGM and insulin pump data can help keep your patients healthier and out of the hospital.

Understanding Hospitalization Causes in Diabetes

Exploring the reasons why people with diabetes require higher-level care is crucial in designing interventions to prevent these episodes. Some of the most common medical issues leading to hospitalization or ER visits include:³

1. Infections (such as urinary tract or skin infections)

2. Major cardiovascular complications (like heart attack or stroke)

3. Acute metabolic complications (including hyperglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hypoglycemia)

   
   

Certain factors like age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status increase the risk of hospitalization. Men, non-Hispanic Black patients, and individuals from lower-income areas experience higher rates of diabetes-related hospital admissions.4

The CDC indicates that the number of hospital discharges related to major cardiovascular diseases in people with diabetes is significantly higher than those involving hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.5 However, many of these abnormal glucose fluctuations can be detected before requiring a hospital visit.

These acute events rarely happen in isolation; they are often preceded by subtle but detectable changes in glucose management. A gradual increase in average glucose levels, rising glucose variability, or an uptick in time spent in hypo- or hyperglycemia can serve as early warning signs. Without routine data reviews, these signs may go unnoticed until the patient is in urgent care or the hospital.

The Role of Regular Data Monitoring

Continuous glucose monitoring provides around-the-clock visibility into glucose trends. This leads to improved blood sugar management and a reduced risk of both complications and hospitalizations.⁶ However, optimal diabetes care goes beyond simply prescribing a CGM; it requires ongoing data reviews and timely clinical interventions.

Insulin pump data also offers valuable insights that help identify early signs of trouble. Missed boluses, repeated use of correction doses, wide glucose variability, and inappropriate basal rates—especially overnight—can all indicate an increased risk of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia leading to ER visits or hospitalizations.

For example, consistently high insulin-on-board (IOB) levels or frequent late-night boluses might suggest a patient is overtreating highs, risking dangerous lows while asleep.

By reviewing both CGM and pump data regularly, providers gain a complete picture of a patient's management and where adjustments are necessary. Without these insights, they may miss patterns that paper logs or quarterly visits simply can't capture.

Consistent data reviews allow providers to spot trends before they escalate into dangerous situations. This approach eliminates guesswork in insulin dosing and empowers proactive changes to treatment plans without waiting for the next in-person appointment. Implementing more frequent CGM and pump data reviews is a powerful strategy to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia and ER visits, especially for high-risk patients.⁷

Collaboration for Better Outcomes

At SweetSpot, our team has shown that incorporating at least six touchpoints per year can lead to a 10% improvement in time in range (TIR) and a 1% reduction in HbA1c. While this level of frequent in-clinic visits may not always be feasible, remote monitoring from a virtual care team makes it scalable and efficient. Our CDCES team proactively reviews CGM and pump data, connects with patients remotely to identify patterns, and collaborates with your practice to adjust treatments.

Want to bring this level of support to your patients? Let’s keep your patients out of the hospital and on track. SweetSpot makes proactive CGM and insulin pump monitoring simple, scalable, and stress-free for your team. Reach out today to get started at info@sweetspot.health.

A Better Future for Diabetes Management

Managing diabetes involves more than just treating acute issues. Continuous monitoring and data review are crucial in preventing hospitalizations and improving patient outcomes. By consistently tracking glucose trends and collaborating with healthcare providers, patients can enjoy a better quality of life.

Innovations in technology offer the tools necessary to transform diabetes care. With regular reviews of CGM and insulin pump data, we can identify potential issues in their early stages. This proactive approach leads to better management and reduced hospital visits.

References:

1. Harding JL, Uppal TS, Tomic D, Ali MK, Magliano DJ. 1315-P: Examining excess hospitalizations in people with vs. without diabetes—A national U.S. study. Diabetes. 2023;72(Suppl 1):1315–P. doi:10.2337/db23-1315-P

2. American Diabetes Association. The Costs of Hospitalization for People with Diabetes. Accessed April 8, 2025. https://diabetes.org/tools-resources/managing-diabetes-costs/costs-hospitalization-people-diabetes

3. Rubens M, Ramamoorthy V, Saxena A, McGranaghan P, McCormack-Granja E. Recent Trends in Diabetes-Associated Hospitalizations in the United States. J Clin Med. 2022;11(22):6636. Published 2022 Nov 9. doi:10.3390/jcm11226636

4. Hanover L. What are the most common reasons for hospital admissions for patients with diabetes? Am J Manag Care. Published May 8, 2021. Accessed April 8, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/what-are-the-most-common-reasons-for-hospital-admissions-for-patients-with-diabetes-

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Proportions and Trends of Adult Hospitalizations with Diabetes—United States, 2000–2018. Published August 2024. Accessed April 8, 2025. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/159595

6. Nathanson D, Eeg-Olofsson K, Spelman T, et al. Intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring compared with blood glucose monitoring is associated with lower HbA1c and a reduced risk of hospitalisation for diabetes-related complications in adults with type 2 diabetes on insulin therapies. Diabetologia. 2025;68(1):41-51. doi:10.1007/s00125-024-06289-z

7. McCoy RG, Lipska KJ, Van Houten HK, Shah ND. Association of Cumulative Multimorbidity, Glycemic Control, and Medication Use With Hypoglycemia-Related Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations Among Adults With Diabetes. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(1):e1919099. Published 2020 Jan 3. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.19099

   
   

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SweetSpot partners with endocrinology practices to provide virtual CGM monitoring and enhanced patient care.

SweetSpot combines a centralized software platform for managing diabetes device data, such as data from CGMs and insulin pumps, with wrap-around clinical support services. SweetSpot’s virtual team of Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES) perform monthly CGM data reviews and coordinate with providers and patients to facilitate treatment plan changes. By actively managing and remotely reviewing CGM data between patient visits, we ensure patients receive timely treatment adjustments to improve glycemic control and patient outcomes.

Additionally, SweetSpot’s automated capture of reimbursable care events optimizes CPT code utilization, unlocking new revenue streams for practices and making our partnerships both clinically effective and financially profitable.