Details
Percentage of clients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are up to date with HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) blood glucose monitoring
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Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases affecting people living in Canada.
Around 3.7 million people in Canada older than 1 year live with diagnosed diabetes (9.4% of the population).1 In addition, over 6% of adults in Canada live with prediabetes, which gives them a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
The number of people living with diabetes is expected to continue to increase as the population in Canada ages and grows. This will result in increased costs that affect society, individuals, communities, and health care systems.
Additionally, Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Urban Indigenous people) are among the highest-risk populations in Canada for diabetes and related complications. Effective prevention strategies should be grounded in the social, cultural, and health service contexts of a community.
This indicator was included as a result of work done in partnership with the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council but is applicable to all interprofessional primary care practice models.
Key resource
- Ontario Health Quality Standard for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
Change Ideas
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Review federal and provincial standards or guidelines on type 2 diabetes
- Visit Ontario Health’s Quality Standard for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes landing page, which includes access to the full Quality Standard, Patient Guide, Placemat (quick reference tool), and other helpful resources.
Review clinical practice guidelines from Diabetes Canada, including:
Utilize your electronic medical record (EMR) system to identify and track patients with type 2 diabetes in your practice to ensure they are up to date with HbA1c blood glucose monitoring
- Review your most recent MyPractice Primary Care Report to help focus your quality improvement efforts
- Run a search in your practice’s EMR system using diabetes billing codes to generate a list of patients with diabetes
- Contact OntarioMD Peer Leaders, who provide a complimentary support service for optimizing EMR use
- Implement a reminder system to help patients stay up to date with monitoring
- Contact OntarioMD Peer Leaders
Utilize community supports for patients
Improve awareness of and make use of guidelines, education, and prevention resources for Indigenous peoples
1Reference:- Connect patients with local Diabetes Education Programs
- In addition to education and support, Diabetes Education Programs teach self-management skills
- Encourage use of My Diabetes Passport. This tool helps patients set goals, and record past and future HbA1c test results
- Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle provides diabetes education, prevention and management in Indigenous communities in Ontario, both on- and off-reserve
- Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle Diabetes Wellness Workers promote diabetes awareness from an Indigenous perspective and assist Indigenous communities in identifying appropriate resources and services
- Foot care and eye care resources
- Knowledge Department combines “traditional wisdom with current diabetes education, incorporating First Nations, Inuit, Métis and mainstream influences.” This program supports frontline workers in planning, preparing, and presenting relevant information about diabetes and Indigenous perspectives on health and wellness.
- Visit Ontario Health’s Quality Standard for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes landing page, which includes access to the full Quality Standard, Patient Guide, Placemat (quick reference tool), and other helpful resources.
Last Updated: August 26, 2026
