All health care practitioners can benefit from knowing their patients A1C readings.
This includes GPs, CDEs, NPs, naturopaths, PAs, dieticians and nutritionists.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends A1C testing to determine a patient’s average blood glucose control. For patients whose therapy has changed or who are not meeting glycemic goals, the A1C test should be performed quarterly. The A1C test should be performed at least two times a year in patients who are meeting treatment goals and who have stable glycemic control.
The A1C Now test takes about 1 minute to perform with results displayed in 5 minutes and can be done in the exam room. When patients are provided with immediate A1C results it encourages them to engage in immediate face-to-face counseling.
When a patient’s A1C is high, immediate changes can be outlined in their diet, exercise and possibly medications. This may help reduce their A1C which could help reduce their risks of the onset or the progression of diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy.