Diabetes technology: Continuous glucose monitoring and the role of ambulatory care pharmacists

Abstract

This commentary discusses the role of ambulatory care pharmacists in diabetes care and the evolving use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology. As the clinical burden and costs related to care for diabetes grows, ambulatory care pharmacists are uniquely positioned to realize the potential of and implement technology in the patient care process. Although previous technologies often focused on phone-based interventions, rapidly evolving technology, such as CGM, offers great insight related to disease state management. Despite the growth of CGM technology, there is still limited recognition of the value of pharmacists in the utilization of diabetes technology. Ambulatory care pharmacists have the appropriate resources and training to navigate barriers and support effective use of CGMs. They can provide guidance in selecting the best device based on patient-specific needs and accessibility. Pharmacists can also educate patients on how to use devices, interpret data, and integrate it with mobile applications for monitoring and data sharing. In addition, pharmacists can assist in ongoing management by reviewing data reports and making necessary adjustments to therapy. Pharmacist-led education and multidisciplinary coordination can support integration of CGMs in clinical settings. Pharmacists can deliver in-service education, provide clinical support to administrative workflow related to care, and provide consultations to increase provider comfort in prescribing CGMs. Pharmacists’ potential with CGM and diabetes technology in primary care would be best realized through better characterization of pharmacists’ interventions in diabetes care, increased recognition of their role on the interprofessional team, and describing viable reimbursement pathways available to pharmacists. This article describes how pharmacists in ambulatory care can use CGM as an example of diabetes technology to improve patient care through a patient case. A call to action is provided for further education, research, and support for pharmacists leveraging technology in these roles.