Establishment of an electronic clinical diabetes registry for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus across 19 governmental hospitals/centers in Saudi Arabia

This study aimed to describe the establishment of an Electronic Clinical Diabetes Registry across 19 Ministry of Defense Health Services hospitals and centers in Saudi Arabia, and to evaluate the quality of diabetes care through key performance indicators. The 19 hospitals and centers across Saudi Arabia signed up to the registry between 2019 and 2023. At each center, the data of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated in chronic illness clinics were collected using a standardized diabetes outpatient assessment form that was integrated into the electronic operational systems of the hospitals and then uploaded to the Electronic Clinical Diabetes Registry platform. Process and outcome indicators were analyzed based on the latest visit of each patient. The 53,741 patients enrolled in the registry by December 2023 had a mean age of 52.54 ± 19.77 years and a diabetes duration of 10.90 ± 7.75 years; 52.5% were female. Hemoglobin A1c measurement, lipid profiling, and microalbuminuria screening were performed in 92.6%, 90.1%, and 82.5% of patients, respectively, showing good compliance with required processes. However, retinopathy screening was conducted in only 50.8% of patients and foot examinations in 57%, falling short of the Saudi National Diabetes Center and American Diabetes Association targets. In terms of clinical outcomes, glycemic control, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure control were achieved in 71.8%, 82.2%, and 71.5% of patients, respectively, exceeding guideline target levels. The Electronic Clinical Diabetes Registry offers a robust framework for real-time surveillance of diabetes care.