Free Diabetes Monitoring Service

Got an email last night telling me about a free diabetes monitoring service at MinuteClinic.  Since I'm about right in between my now 6-month checkup with the endo I decided I'd go down to my local CVS and check it out.

Among the things they say they check for are:

• A1C and blood glucose test
• Blood pressure check
• Body Mass Index
• Cholesterol check
• Comprehensive foot exam
• Kidney function check

The exam's done by the nurse practicioner or whoever MinuteClinic uses to work the place.  I had been earlier this year for a TB test so they had most of my info in the computer already but there were still a number of questions asked before she did the test, mostly related to my diabetes history (monitoring frequency; lowest/highest measurement in the past 3 months; date of last A1C; date of last foot check; date of last dialated eye exam, etc.).  Got weighed and measured for height (which was way off from my last measurement), temperature read, blood pressure checked, heart rate checked, blood drawn from my finger for the in-office A1C and cholesterol checks, and a visual exam of my feet with monofilament testing performed to detect sensation.

The initial results from the cholesterol reading was way too low so she checked the meter with some control solution and it came back in the proper range but she decided to do it again and this time it came back a lot closer to where it should have been.  Overall, I did fairly well with the numbers pretty close to lab results from my doctors' office visits.  A1C came in at a 5.4%, a tenth less than my last test 3 months ago, total cholesterol is 142 (my HDL is still a little low at 42 though but better than the <15 the machine initially said it was) and I actually felt the majority of the pokes on my feet in spite of my neuropathy.  She didn't perform a finger stick glucose test so I didn't get a fasting number from her and without a urinary albumin test, I'm not sure what kidney functions were checked.

The total charges were listed at $119 and it looks like they did a $50 write off with the remaining $69 paid for by ACCU-CHECK, which is sponsoring the testing.  I can't be entirely sure that the overall results are totally accurate compared to real lab results, especially considering the couple of issues with height measurement and initial cholesterol results, but for a spot check between visits to the doctor, I thought free was a pretty good deal.  And I'm happy to see what appears to be continuously good and consistent maintenence of my diabetes.

Anyway, if anyone else is interested, there are details about the free checkup online at http://www.minuteclinic.com/diabetes/  There's no ending date for the testing -- just a "supplies are limited" notice.  It also doesn't look like the deal is good in Massachusetts, Maryland or Texas.  Hope your guys' results are equally good!