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Los retos de vivir con diabetes en Puerto Rico
La tecnología desarrollada por Abartys Health tiene un gran potencial para ayudar a desarrollar estrategias e intervenciones más exitosas para hacer frente a condiciones de salud cada vez más comunes, como la diabetes, que genera innumerables complicaciones y aumenta considerablemente los costos asociados con la atención médica.
Para conmemorar el Mes Nacional de la Diabetes, Abartys ha realizado el primer estudio transversal de diabetes para estimar la prevalencia de diabetes y pre diabetes en Puerto Rico con base en datos clínicos agregados y anónimos.
Agradecemos a El Nuevo Día por la cobertura y a nuestros socios: Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes, Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust y Puerto Rico Health Trust, y Outcome Project por el trabajo colaborativo que hizo realidad este estudio. Haga clic aquí para leer el artículo completo:
Los retos de vivir con diabetes den Puerto Rico
The daily work of everyone in Abartys Health really matters and has an impact on patients’ lives, e.g. to help guide public policy decisions and interventions for people with diabetes who most need help. For example, in the central region, the average Diabetes prevalence of the top ten municipalities rose from 21.6% in 2019 to 26.8% in 2022. The power of the Abartys data for our clients is to visualize de-identified and aggregated patient data including gaps-in–care by zip code, provider, and payer, helping improve patients’ lives.
November is National Diabetes Month and, in recognition, we are pleased with the publication of our diabetes study results making front page news in the Sunday’s edition of El Nuevo Dia news paper. We would like to thank the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust and the Puerto Rico Health Trust, and the Outcome Project for the collaborative work that made this study a reality.
Relevant links:
Read the full article here: El_Nuevo_Dia(2022-11-13)_clip
Prevalencia de diabetes en Puerto Rico potencialmente mucho más alta que estimado oficial
Prevalencia de diabetes en Puerto Rico potencialmente mucho más alta que estimado oficial
Según un análisis realizado por primera vez como parte de nueva alianza entre Abartys Health y la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes (APD)
San Juan, Puerto Rico – La prevalencia de diabetes en Puerto Rico podría ser mucho mayor de los registrado por los estimados gubernamentales oficiales, de acuerdo con un nuevo estudio transversal realizado por la empresa de tecnología de salud Abartys Health y la Asociación Puertorriqueña de la Diabetes. El estudio mide también por primera vez la prevalencia de la prediabetes en la población de la Isla.
El estudio reveló que para el año 2021, Puerto Rico tuvo una prevalencia estimada de diabetes de sobre el 19.3% de los adultos de 20 años o más. Asimismo, la prevalencia estimada para este año hasta el mes de septiembre ya alcanza el 20%. Ambas cifras son superan ampliamente la prevalencia de la condición en los Estados Unidos, que se registra en 14.7% según datos del CDC.
“Es la primera vez que la prevalencia de la diabetes en Puerto Rico ha sido analizada en esta escala, permitiéndonos ver tendencias basadas en datos del mundo real. Las actuales cifras oficiales están basadas en información reportada por los propios individuos y recopilada mediante encuestas telefónicas, por lo que no toman en cuenta los casos no diagnosticados. Esto nos da un panorama incompleto de la prevalencia de la condición”, explicó Florian Gaa, gerente general de Abartys Health. “En el manejo de la diabetes en la población general, nosotros abogamos porque se ponga un mayor énfasis en los datos y en la prevención”.
“La diabetes es un gran reto de salud. La condición aumenta la mortalidad y los costos de cuidado de salud en todas las poblaciones afectadas”, puntualizó Brenda Padilla, directora ejecutiva de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes. “Queremos llamar la atención pública a lo que es una verdadera crisis de salud y al mismo tiempo hacer disponible nuevas herramientas para las autoridades de salud, proveedores y pacientes,” dijo Padilla.
El análisis apunta además a una alta prevalencia de la prediabetes en Puerto Rico. Durante el período del 2019 al 2022, el análisis reveló un incremento de 25.7% a 28.6% en la prevalencia de prediabtes, lo que sumado con los casos de pacientes ya diagnosticados con diabetes se traduce en que casi un 50% de la población de la Isla está afectada por la condición metabólica.
Se atribuye a la diabetes ser una causa principal de otras condiciones tales como la ceguera, ataques cardiovasculares y cerebro vasculares, amputación de extremidades y fallo renal, así como un mayor riesgo de complicaciones y muerte por el COVID19.
Los resultados del estudio están basados en una revisión de datos clínicos que abarcó sobre 2.6 millones de resultados anónimos de laboratorio. La revisión se condujo en una población de pacientes únicos, no identificables, en estricto cumplimiento con las regulaciones estatales y federales de salud.
De acuerdo a los resultados, la prevalencia de enfermedad renal crónica (CKD por sus siglas en inglés) para el presente año alcanza un 24% de la población con diabetes, comparado con un 9.4% en la población con niveles normales de glucosa. Es decir, en los pacientes con diabetes en la Isla la prevalencia de enfermedad renal es 3.2 veces mayor que en personas sin diabetes.
En esa misma dirección, los niveles bajos de colesterol de lipoproteínas de alta densidad (HDL por sus siglas en inglés), mejor conocido como el colesterol “bueno” y los niveles altos de triglicéridos fueron 2 y 3 veces mayor, respectivamente, en personas con diabetes que en personas con niveles normales de glucosa.
En términos geográficos, los 10 municipios con la mayor prevalencia de diabetes al momento son Camuy, Quebradillas, Hatillo, Lares, Yauco, Utuado, Arecibo, San Lorenzo, Adjuntas y Lajas.
Para completar la revisión de datos y el análisis correspondiente, Abartys Health trabajó de cerca con la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes para desarrollar el primer tablero clínico para el manejo de diabetes en la isla. El tablero, basado en la plataforma de manejo de datos clínicos ClinicLynk, ofrece información en tiempo real, proveyendo un panorama de la condición por género, geografía, edad y proveedores de salud, entre otros factores.
“Típicamente, el 70% de las decisiones clínicas se toman a base de datos clínicos, ahora tenemos visibilidad real y precisa sobre la prevalencia de la diabetes y prediabetes, basada en datos reales. Esto nos permite tomar acción para identificar y manejar casos de prediabetes en tiempo real, para evitar el deterioro de la condición. En conjunto con las autoridades de salud pública, también podemos planificar, implementar y medir iniciativas de prevención”, dijo Padilla.
Según Gaa, el tablero clínico de diabetes permite identificar la relación entre dicha condición y otras enfermedades, proveyendo mayor visibilidad en relación a las tasas de detección, factores de riesgo y posibles lagunas en el cuidado médico. “Con este tipo de análisis de datos, los profesionales de la salud pueden entender mejor las necesidades de los pacientes y distribuir más eficazmente los recursos disponibles”, explicó.
Actualmente el gobierno de Puerto Rico descansa en el Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (PRBRFSS) del CDC para medir la prevalencia de la diabetes y otras condiciones. El sistema de encuestas telefónicas, establecido en el 1984, recoge información acerca de comportamientos de salud riesgosos, prácticas de salud preventiva, acceso al cuidado de salud relacionados primordialmente a enfermedades crónicas y lesiones.
Sobre Abartys Health
Desde 2016, la firma de manejo de datos clínicos Abartys Health, ha estado trabajando para resolver las fallas en la atención médica. Abartys ha creado una plataforma segura y en cumplimiento con regulaciones de privacidad con el fin de mejorar la interoperabilidad de los datos de atención médica entre laboratorios, pacientes y proveedores, lo que permite obtener información procesable sobre los datos y mejores resultados para los pacientes. Para más información, visite www.abartyshealth.com.
Sobre Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes (APD)
APD es una organización sin fines de lucro, 501c3, que nace en 1988 con la misión de promover la prevención, control y diagnóstico de la diabetes, empoderando a los pacientes, familiares, profesionales de la salud y comunidad en general a través de la educación. Para más información pueden escribir a informacion@diabetespr.org, llamar al (787) 729-2210 o al 1-800-281-0617, o acceder www.diabetespr.org
Diabetes Prevalence in Puerto Rico Potentially Much Higher than Official Estimate
Diabetes Prevalence in Puerto Rico Potentially Much Higher than Official Estimate
According to a new analysis performed as part of a new alliance between Abartys Health and the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association
San Juan, Puerto Rico – The prevalence of diabetes in Puerto Rico could be much higher than official estimates, according to a cross-sectional analysis conducted by health technology provider Abartys Health and the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association. The analysis also measured for the first time the prevalence of prediabetes in the island’s population.
The analysis revealed that for the year 2021, Puerto Rico had an estimated diabetes prevalence of over 19.3% among adults 20 years old or higher, based on anonymous clinical data of over 800,000 people within Puerto Rico. Moreover, the estimated diabetes prevalence for September 2022 stands at 20.0%, a figure that is significantly higher than the latest officially reported number of 15.8%, and also higher than the prevalence of the disease in the United States of 14.7%, according to data from the CDC.
“This is the first time that diabetes prevalence in Puerto Rico has been analyzed at this scale, allowing us to see tendencies based on real-world data. Current official figures rely on self-reported information from phone-based surveys alone and do not account for undiagnosed cases, giving us an incomplete picture”, stated Florian Gaa, General Manager of Abartys Health. “In the management of diabetes in the overall population, we advocate for a larger emphasis on data and prevention.”
“Diabetes is a significant health challenge as it greatly increases overall mortality and healthcare costs across all affected populations,” said Brenda Padilla, Executive Director of the Diabetes Association. “We want to bring awareness to what is really a health crisis and at the same time place new tools at the disposal of health authorities, providers and patients,” said Padilla.
The analysis also points to a high prediabetes prevalence in Puerto Rico, which increased from 25.7% to 28.6% during the period from 2019 to 2022, which, together with cases of patients already diagnosed with diabetes, means that almost 50% of the population is currently impacted by the condition.
Diabetes is known to be a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation. Furthermore, it also increases the risk of death associated with COVID19, according to an increasing number of studies.
The reported findings are based on a clinical data review encompassing over 2.6 million lab results for the period from 2019 to September 2022. The review was conducted anonymously on a population of non-identifiable unique patients, in strict compliance with applicable local and federal regulations.
According to the findings, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) for the year 2022 was 24.0% in the population with diabetes, compared to 9.4% in the population with normal glucose levels. CKD was observed as being 3.2 imes more likely in people with diabetes than people with normal glucose levels. Likewise, low levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or “good” cholesterol” and high triglyceride levels were found to be 2 and almost 3 times, respectively, more likely in people with diabetes than in those with normal glucose levels.
In terms of geography, the ten municipalities with the current highest diabetes prevalence are Camuy, Quebradillas, Hatillo, Lares, Yauco, Utuado, Arecibo, San Lorenzo, Adjuntas and Lajas.
To complete the data review and corresponding analysis, Abartys Health worked closely with the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association to develop the first clinical dashboard for the management of the condition on the island. The dashboard, based on the company’s clinical insight platform ClinicLynk, offers real-time information, providing a general assessment of the condition by gender, geography, age, health insurers, and medical providers, among other factors.
“Typically, 70% of clinical decisions are made with lab data and now we have real-time, precise visibility on diabetes and prediabetes prevalence and incidents based on real-world data. This allows us to take action to catch and manage prediabetes cases on time, helping to avoid the worsening of the condition. Together with public health authorities, we can also better plan, implement and measure prevention programs,” said Padilla.
The diabetes clinical data dashboard also allows the identification of the relationship between diabetes and other conditions and provides insights into screening rates, risk factors, and possible gaps in care. “With this kind of data analytics,” Gaa explained, “healthcare professionals can better understand patient needs and better allocate resources.”
To measure the prevalence of diabetes, the government of Puerto Rico currently relies on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (PRBRFSS) from the CDC which consists on a system of telephone health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. The survey was established in 1984.
About Abartys Health
Since 2016, clinical data management firm Abartys Health has been working to solve the breakdowns in healthcare. Abartys has built a secure and privacy-compliant platform to improve healthcare data interoperability between labs, patients, and providers, enabling actionable data insights and better patient outcomes. For more information, visit www.abartyshealth.com.
About the Puerto Rican Diabetes Association (APD)
APD is a non-profit organization, 501c3, that was established in 1988 with the mission of promoting the prevention, control, and diagnosis of diabetes, empowering patients, families, health professionals and the community in general through education. For more information, you can write to informacion@diabetespr.org, call (787) 729-2210 or 1-800-281-0617, or access www.diabetespr.org
###
Welcome Luis Alicea
We are pleased to announce that Luis Alicea will join abartysHealth as Vice President, effective April 18, 2022.
Luis has 20+ years of sales and marketing experience with a focus on B2B growth initiatives in the tech and insurance sectors.
Most recently, Luis was Senior Vice President at HUB International, leading all aspects of the Employee Health and Benefits Practice. There he was responsible for the strategic direction of business including sales, service, and analytics of all related health benefit products offered to its institutional and government clients.
Prior to that role, Luis led all growth initiatives at Marsh as their Vice President of Sales / Country Sales Leader, including the Employee Health and Benefits team achieving over plan performance every fiscal year.
Prior to that, Luis was part of the founding team at ADP, where he became an award-winning leader responsible for the exponential growth of ADP products and services throughout the Caribbean and LATM region. His individual and team contributions allowed ADP to have a majority market share, which represent well over 40 million in annual recurring revenue.
Throughout his career, technology and his entrepreneurial vision has played a central role in his success.
Luis was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and enjoys traveling, photography and entrepreneurship. He is married to Carmen and has four children Nicole, Gabriel, Alexis and Delio.
Welcome to the team!
Welcome Luis Alicea
We are pleased to announce that Luis Alicea will join abartysHealth as Vice President, effective April 18, 2022.
Luis has 20+ years of sales and marketing experience with a focus on B2B growth initiatives in the tech and insurance sectors.
Most recently, Luis was Senior Vice President at HUB International, leading all aspects of the Employee Health and Benefits Practice. There he was responsible for the strategic direction of business including sales, service, and analytics of all related health benefit products offered to its institutional and government clients.
Prior to that role, Luis led all growth initiatives at Marsh as their Vice President of Sales / Country Sales Leader, including the Employee Health and Benefits team achieving over plan performance every fiscal year.
Prior to that, Luis was part of the founding team at ADP, where he became an award-winning leader responsible for the exponential growth of ADP products and services throughout the Caribbean and LATM region. His individual and team contributions allowed ADP to have a majority market share, which represent well over 40 million in annual recurring revenue.
Throughout his career, technology and his entrepreneurial vision has played a central role in his success.
Luis was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and enjoys traveling, photography and entrepreneurship. He is married to Carmen and has four children Nicole, Gabriel, Alexis and Delio.
Welcome to the team!
abartysHealth In The News
Los retos de vivir con diabetes en Puerto Rico
La tecnología desarrollada por Abartys Health tiene un gran potencial para ayudar a desarrollar estrategias e intervenciones más exitosas para hacer frente a condiciones de salud cada vez más comunes, como la diabetes, que genera innumerables complicaciones y aumenta considerablemente los costos asociados con la atención médica.
Para conmemorar el Mes Nacional de la Diabetes, Abartys ha realizado el primer estudio transversal de diabetes para estimar la prevalencia de diabetes y pre diabetes en Puerto Rico con base en datos clínicos agregados y anónimos.
Agradecemos a El Nuevo Día por la cobertura y a nuestros socios: Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes, Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust y Puerto Rico Health Trust, y Outcome Project por el trabajo colaborativo que hizo realidad este estudio. Haga clic aquí para leer el artículo completo:
Los retos de vivir con diabetes den Puerto Rico
The daily work of everyone in Abartys Health really matters and has an impact on patients’ lives, e.g. to help guide public policy decisions and interventions for people with diabetes who most need help. For example, in the central region, the average Diabetes prevalence of the top ten municipalities rose from 21.6% in 2019 to 26.8% in 2022. The power of the Abartys data for our clients is to visualize de-identified and aggregated patient data including gaps-in–care by zip code, provider, and payer, helping improve patients’ lives.
November is National Diabetes Month and, in recognition, we are pleased with the publication of our diabetes study results making front page news in the Sunday’s edition of El Nuevo Dia news paper. We would like to thank the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust and the Puerto Rico Health Trust, and the Outcome Project for the collaborative work that made this study a reality.
Relevant links:
Read the full article here: El_Nuevo_Dia(2022-11-13)_clip
Prevalencia de diabetes en Puerto Rico potencialmente mucho más alta que estimado oficial
Prevalencia de diabetes en Puerto Rico potencialmente mucho más alta que estimado oficial
Según un análisis realizado por primera vez como parte de nueva alianza entre Abartys Health y la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes (APD)
San Juan, Puerto Rico – La prevalencia de diabetes en Puerto Rico podría ser mucho mayor de los registrado por los estimados gubernamentales oficiales, de acuerdo con un nuevo estudio transversal realizado por la empresa de tecnología de salud Abartys Health y la Asociación Puertorriqueña de la Diabetes. El estudio mide también por primera vez la prevalencia de la prediabetes en la población de la Isla.
El estudio reveló que para el año 2021, Puerto Rico tuvo una prevalencia estimada de diabetes de sobre el 19.3% de los adultos de 20 años o más. Asimismo, la prevalencia estimada para este año hasta el mes de septiembre ya alcanza el 20%. Ambas cifras son superan ampliamente la prevalencia de la condición en los Estados Unidos, que se registra en 14.7% según datos del CDC.
“Es la primera vez que la prevalencia de la diabetes en Puerto Rico ha sido analizada en esta escala, permitiéndonos ver tendencias basadas en datos del mundo real. Las actuales cifras oficiales están basadas en información reportada por los propios individuos y recopilada mediante encuestas telefónicas, por lo que no toman en cuenta los casos no diagnosticados. Esto nos da un panorama incompleto de la prevalencia de la condición”, explicó Florian Gaa, gerente general de Abartys Health. “En el manejo de la diabetes en la población general, nosotros abogamos porque se ponga un mayor énfasis en los datos y en la prevención”.
“La diabetes es un gran reto de salud. La condición aumenta la mortalidad y los costos de cuidado de salud en todas las poblaciones afectadas”, puntualizó Brenda Padilla, directora ejecutiva de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes. “Queremos llamar la atención pública a lo que es una verdadera crisis de salud y al mismo tiempo hacer disponible nuevas herramientas para las autoridades de salud, proveedores y pacientes,” dijo Padilla.
El análisis apunta además a una alta prevalencia de la prediabetes en Puerto Rico. Durante el período del 2019 al 2022, el análisis reveló un incremento de 25.7% a 28.6% en la prevalencia de prediabtes, lo que sumado con los casos de pacientes ya diagnosticados con diabetes se traduce en que casi un 50% de la población de la Isla está afectada por la condición metabólica.
Se atribuye a la diabetes ser una causa principal de otras condiciones tales como la ceguera, ataques cardiovasculares y cerebro vasculares, amputación de extremidades y fallo renal, así como un mayor riesgo de complicaciones y muerte por el COVID19.
Los resultados del estudio están basados en una revisión de datos clínicos que abarcó sobre 2.6 millones de resultados anónimos de laboratorio. La revisión se condujo en una población de pacientes únicos, no identificables, en estricto cumplimiento con las regulaciones estatales y federales de salud.
De acuerdo a los resultados, la prevalencia de enfermedad renal crónica (CKD por sus siglas en inglés) para el presente año alcanza un 24% de la población con diabetes, comparado con un 9.4% en la población con niveles normales de glucosa. Es decir, en los pacientes con diabetes en la Isla la prevalencia de enfermedad renal es 3.2 veces mayor que en personas sin diabetes.
En esa misma dirección, los niveles bajos de colesterol de lipoproteínas de alta densidad (HDL por sus siglas en inglés), mejor conocido como el colesterol “bueno” y los niveles altos de triglicéridos fueron 2 y 3 veces mayor, respectivamente, en personas con diabetes que en personas con niveles normales de glucosa.
En términos geográficos, los 10 municipios con la mayor prevalencia de diabetes al momento son Camuy, Quebradillas, Hatillo, Lares, Yauco, Utuado, Arecibo, San Lorenzo, Adjuntas y Lajas.
Para completar la revisión de datos y el análisis correspondiente, Abartys Health trabajó de cerca con la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes para desarrollar el primer tablero clínico para el manejo de diabetes en la isla. El tablero, basado en la plataforma de manejo de datos clínicos ClinicLynk, ofrece información en tiempo real, proveyendo un panorama de la condición por género, geografía, edad y proveedores de salud, entre otros factores.
“Típicamente, el 70% de las decisiones clínicas se toman a base de datos clínicos, ahora tenemos visibilidad real y precisa sobre la prevalencia de la diabetes y prediabetes, basada en datos reales. Esto nos permite tomar acción para identificar y manejar casos de prediabetes en tiempo real, para evitar el deterioro de la condición. En conjunto con las autoridades de salud pública, también podemos planificar, implementar y medir iniciativas de prevención”, dijo Padilla.
Según Gaa, el tablero clínico de diabetes permite identificar la relación entre dicha condición y otras enfermedades, proveyendo mayor visibilidad en relación a las tasas de detección, factores de riesgo y posibles lagunas en el cuidado médico. “Con este tipo de análisis de datos, los profesionales de la salud pueden entender mejor las necesidades de los pacientes y distribuir más eficazmente los recursos disponibles”, explicó.
Actualmente el gobierno de Puerto Rico descansa en el Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (PRBRFSS) del CDC para medir la prevalencia de la diabetes y otras condiciones. El sistema de encuestas telefónicas, establecido en el 1984, recoge información acerca de comportamientos de salud riesgosos, prácticas de salud preventiva, acceso al cuidado de salud relacionados primordialmente a enfermedades crónicas y lesiones.
Sobre Abartys Health
Desde 2016, la firma de manejo de datos clínicos Abartys Health, ha estado trabajando para resolver las fallas en la atención médica. Abartys ha creado una plataforma segura y en cumplimiento con regulaciones de privacidad con el fin de mejorar la interoperabilidad de los datos de atención médica entre laboratorios, pacientes y proveedores, lo que permite obtener información procesable sobre los datos y mejores resultados para los pacientes. Para más información, visite www.abartyshealth.com.
Sobre Asociación Puertorriqueña de Diabetes (APD)
APD es una organización sin fines de lucro, 501c3, que nace en 1988 con la misión de promover la prevención, control y diagnóstico de la diabetes, empoderando a los pacientes, familiares, profesionales de la salud y comunidad en general a través de la educación. Para más información pueden escribir a informacion@diabetespr.org, llamar al (787) 729-2210 o al 1-800-281-0617, o acceder www.diabetespr.org
Diabetes Prevalence in Puerto Rico Potentially Much Higher than Official Estimate
Diabetes Prevalence in Puerto Rico Potentially Much Higher than Official Estimate
According to a new analysis performed as part of a new alliance between Abartys Health and the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association
San Juan, Puerto Rico – The prevalence of diabetes in Puerto Rico could be much higher than official estimates, according to a cross-sectional analysis conducted by health technology provider Abartys Health and the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association. The analysis also measured for the first time the prevalence of prediabetes in the island’s population.
The analysis revealed that for the year 2021, Puerto Rico had an estimated diabetes prevalence of over 19.3% among adults 20 years old or higher, based on anonymous clinical data of over 800,000 people within Puerto Rico. Moreover, the estimated diabetes prevalence for September 2022 stands at 20.0%, a figure that is significantly higher than the latest officially reported number of 15.8%, and also higher than the prevalence of the disease in the United States of 14.7%, according to data from the CDC.
“This is the first time that diabetes prevalence in Puerto Rico has been analyzed at this scale, allowing us to see tendencies based on real-world data. Current official figures rely on self-reported information from phone-based surveys alone and do not account for undiagnosed cases, giving us an incomplete picture”, stated Florian Gaa, General Manager of Abartys Health. “In the management of diabetes in the overall population, we advocate for a larger emphasis on data and prevention.”
“Diabetes is a significant health challenge as it greatly increases overall mortality and healthcare costs across all affected populations,” said Brenda Padilla, Executive Director of the Diabetes Association. “We want to bring awareness to what is really a health crisis and at the same time place new tools at the disposal of health authorities, providers and patients,” said Padilla.
The analysis also points to a high prediabetes prevalence in Puerto Rico, which increased from 25.7% to 28.6% during the period from 2019 to 2022, which, together with cases of patients already diagnosed with diabetes, means that almost 50% of the population is currently impacted by the condition.
Diabetes is known to be a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation. Furthermore, it also increases the risk of death associated with COVID19, according to an increasing number of studies.
The reported findings are based on a clinical data review encompassing over 2.6 million lab results for the period from 2019 to September 2022. The review was conducted anonymously on a population of non-identifiable unique patients, in strict compliance with applicable local and federal regulations.
According to the findings, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) for the year 2022 was 24.0% in the population with diabetes, compared to 9.4% in the population with normal glucose levels. CKD was observed as being 3.2 imes more likely in people with diabetes than people with normal glucose levels. Likewise, low levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or “good” cholesterol” and high triglyceride levels were found to be 2 and almost 3 times, respectively, more likely in people with diabetes than in those with normal glucose levels.
In terms of geography, the ten municipalities with the current highest diabetes prevalence are Camuy, Quebradillas, Hatillo, Lares, Yauco, Utuado, Arecibo, San Lorenzo, Adjuntas and Lajas.
To complete the data review and corresponding analysis, Abartys Health worked closely with the Puerto Rico Diabetes Association to develop the first clinical dashboard for the management of the condition on the island. The dashboard, based on the company’s clinical insight platform ClinicLynk, offers real-time information, providing a general assessment of the condition by gender, geography, age, health insurers, and medical providers, among other factors.
“Typically, 70% of clinical decisions are made with lab data and now we have real-time, precise visibility on diabetes and prediabetes prevalence and incidents based on real-world data. This allows us to take action to catch and manage prediabetes cases on time, helping to avoid the worsening of the condition. Together with public health authorities, we can also better plan, implement and measure prevention programs,” said Padilla.
The diabetes clinical data dashboard also allows the identification of the relationship between diabetes and other conditions and provides insights into screening rates, risk factors, and possible gaps in care. “With this kind of data analytics,” Gaa explained, “healthcare professionals can better understand patient needs and better allocate resources.”
To measure the prevalence of diabetes, the government of Puerto Rico currently relies on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (PRBRFSS) from the CDC which consists on a system of telephone health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. The survey was established in 1984.
About Abartys Health
Since 2016, clinical data management firm Abartys Health has been working to solve the breakdowns in healthcare. Abartys has built a secure and privacy-compliant platform to improve healthcare data interoperability between labs, patients, and providers, enabling actionable data insights and better patient outcomes. For more information, visit www.abartyshealth.com.
About the Puerto Rican Diabetes Association (APD)
APD is a non-profit organization, 501c3, that was established in 1988 with the mission of promoting the prevention, control, and diagnosis of diabetes, empowering patients, families, health professionals and the community in general through education. For more information, you can write to informacion@diabetespr.org, call (787) 729-2210 or 1-800-281-0617, or access www.diabetespr.org
###
Welcome Luis Alicea
We are pleased to announce that Luis Alicea will join abartysHealth as Vice President, effective April 18, 2022.
Luis has 20+ years of sales and marketing experience with a focus on B2B growth initiatives in the tech and insurance sectors.
Most recently, Luis was Senior Vice President at HUB International, leading all aspects of the Employee Health and Benefits Practice. There he was responsible for the strategic direction of business including sales, service, and analytics of all related health benefit products offered to its institutional and government clients.
Prior to that role, Luis led all growth initiatives at Marsh as their Vice President of Sales / Country Sales Leader, including the Employee Health and Benefits team achieving over plan performance every fiscal year.
Prior to that, Luis was part of the founding team at ADP, where he became an award-winning leader responsible for the exponential growth of ADP products and services throughout the Caribbean and LATM region. His individual and team contributions allowed ADP to have a majority market share, which represent well over 40 million in annual recurring revenue.
Throughout his career, technology and his entrepreneurial vision has played a central role in his success.
Luis was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and enjoys traveling, photography and entrepreneurship. He is married to Carmen and has four children Nicole, Gabriel, Alexis and Delio.
Welcome to the team!
Welcome Luis Alicea
We are pleased to announce that Luis Alicea will join abartysHealth as Vice President, effective April 18, 2022.
Luis has 20+ years of sales and marketing experience with a focus on B2B growth initiatives in the tech and insurance sectors.
Most recently, Luis was Senior Vice President at HUB International, leading all aspects of the Employee Health and Benefits Practice. There he was responsible for the strategic direction of business including sales, service, and analytics of all related health benefit products offered to its institutional and government clients.
Prior to that role, Luis led all growth initiatives at Marsh as their Vice President of Sales / Country Sales Leader, including the Employee Health and Benefits team achieving over plan performance every fiscal year.
Prior to that, Luis was part of the founding team at ADP, where he became an award-winning leader responsible for the exponential growth of ADP products and services throughout the Caribbean and LATM region. His individual and team contributions allowed ADP to have a majority market share, which represent well over 40 million in annual recurring revenue.
Throughout his career, technology and his entrepreneurial vision has played a central role in his success.
Luis was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and enjoys traveling, photography and entrepreneurship. He is married to Carmen and has four children Nicole, Gabriel, Alexis and Delio.
Welcome to the team!