Hospitals Recognized as Leaders in Caring for Diabetic Patients

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and The Leapfrog Group have named 36 hospitals across 12 states as 2025 Recognized Leaders in Caring for People Living with Diabetes. 

The award recognizes each hospital’s strong commitment to the safety and well-being of hospitalized people living with diabetes—estimated to be 30% of all people who are inpatient nationwide. Now in its second year, the number of award recipients has more than doubled, which the ADA says reflects a growing nationwide commitment to addressing the risks faced by people with diabetes who are hospitalized.

"We congratulate these hospitals for demonstrating their commitment to patient safety and improving the lives of people living with diabetes. Moving evidence-based standards of care into practice opens doors to improved quality outcomes for people living with diabetes,” said Osagie Ebekozien, M.D., M.P.H., the ADA’s chief quality officer, in a statement. 

The first-of-its-kind designation program evaluates hospitals based on their care for people with diabetes during admission, stay, and discharge. The program operationalizes the ADA’s globally recognized guidelines for the treatment of people with diabetes, the Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025, along with Leapfrog’s standards for excellence in hospital safety and quality. 

Recognized hospitals provide safe, high-quality care for people living with diabetes, by implementing blood glucose (blood sugar) testing and hypoglycemia protocols, specialized preparation for inpatient surgery, meals and insulin regimen planning, and robust discharge planning for high-risk people with diabetes. Hospitals are assessed both in the implementation of these processes and structures, and on how well they execute on the standard of care delivered to a random sample of individuals.

Improvements at UCI Health

“This recognition highlights the impact of our inpatient diabetes program in reducing complications and improving overall health of our patients,” said Joseph Carmichael, M.D., UCI Health chief medical officer and senior vice president, in a statement. “It also reinforces our ongoing collaboration with UCI-OC Alliance to advance health and well-being for our Latino community, which is disproportionately affected by diabetes.”


According to the ADA, 37 million people in the U.S. live with diabetes and 8 million people are admitted to the hospital with disease-related complications. Inequity in access to high-quality healthcare increases the incidence of disease and risk of injury, infection and amputation as a result of the condition.

In 2023, UC Irvine partnered with the alliance, which is aimed at combating the disease in Orange County’s Latino community. 

Attendees of diabetes group medical visits at the UCI Health Family Health Center ― Anaheim, have made lasting lifestyle changes that have resulted in an average reduction in hemoglobin A1c levels from 8.5% to 7.5% over a follow-up period of slightly more than five months. This is significant and the equivalent of starting a new diabetes medication that can reduce the risk of complications by 40%.

The UCI Health federally qualified health center plans to expand the program to UCI Health Family Health Center — Santa Ana. It is also exploring offering the visits in English to reach broader audiences.

Patients also have access to high-quality inpatient programs that help to identify significant disparities in diabetes care among underserved communities. They improve cardiometabolic risk and overall health outcomes through electronic health record-based intervention.

More than a badge

Another hospital recognized is AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares, Fla. At AdventHealth Waterman alone, more than 6,400 patients with diabetes were admitted last year.

“This recognition is about more than a badge; it's about how we care for people,” said Kimberly Smith, a certified diabetes care and education specialist at AdventHealth Waterman, in a statement. “We’re not just managing blood sugar. We’re walking alongside people who are managing a lifelong condition, and we focus on what matters most to our patients: feeling heard, supported, and confident in managing their health.”