08 Apr 2026 Appropriate HbA1c testing frequency to monitor patients with type 2 diabetes
This live webinar has already taken place. The video recording will be posted here soon.
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In this TI Best Evidence Webinar participants had the opportunity to discuss the recently published Therapeutics Letter 161 on this topic and the associated personal prescribing Portrait. During the webinar, Dr. Wade Thompson reviewed the Letter and the Portrait, answered questions, and discussed how to optimize HbA1c testing in patients with type 2 diabetes. He was joined by Dr. Andre Mattman (Division Head, Clinical Chemistry at Providence Health Care) who shared complementary resources and tips on this topic.
This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by UBC CPD for up to 1.0 Mainpro+ Certified Activity credit, which can be claimed by any healthcare professional who attends this live webinar and completes the mandatory evaluation survey after the event.
NEW: BC family physicians and nurse practitioners signed up for the Portrait program can claim up to 5.0 Mainpro+ Certified Assessment Activity credit by viewing the Letter and Portrait, attending this live webinar, completing a brief evaluation survey after the event (including the optional portion), and completing another brief follow up assessment a month after the event.
TITLE: Appropriate HbA1c testing frequency to monitor patients with type 2 diabetes
WHEN: 12:00 – 1:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, April 8th, 2026 [convert to your local time]
WHERE: This was a free virtual event.
SPEAKER: Dr. Wade Thompson PharmD, MSc, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, and Chair of the UBC Therapeutics Initiative Evidence Synthesis Unit.
REGISTRATION: https://ubc.zoom.us/meeting/register/4xS9bWy1T3miiw7Kg_E-tA
LEARNING OBJECTIVES (by the end of this session, participants will be able to):
- Understand that monitoring A1c every 3 months is not better than less frequent monitoring (e.g., every 6 months) to achieve glycemic targets.
- Be cautious about over-interpreting any single A1c result, or a small change in A1c, because of imprecision around any A1c result.
- Understand that ordering an A1c makes sense only if a result is likely to lead to a change in care.
- Use their personal prescribing Portrait on this topic to optimize their HbA1c testing in patients with type 2 diabetes.
About the topic: The utility of A1c monitoring is to achieve glycemia in a range that meets clinician and patient goals for diabetes care. Several studies have examined the impact of different A1c monitoring intervals on achieving A1c goals in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), although not on clinical outcomes. No study has assessed how the frequency of A1c testing influences clinical outcomes that are important to people with T2DM. Thus, currently available evidence shows that the optimal A1c monitoring interval to improve clinical outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes has not been established from controlled clinical studies, and casts doubt on any clinical advantage of testing every 3 month versus less frequently. Dr. Wade Thompson reviewed the evidence and provided practical tips on optimal frequency of A1c testing. He also demonstrated how BC family physicians and nurse practitioners can optimize their ordering of these tests by using their personal prescribing Portrait on this topic to reflect on how their prescribing of these medications compares with the latest evidence-based recommendations. He was joined by Dr. Andre Mattman (Division Head, Clinical Chemistry at Providence Health Care) who shared complementary resources and tips on this topic.
About the speaker: Dr. Wade Thompson PharmD, MSc, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, and Chair of the UBC Therapeutics Initiative Evidence Synthesis Unit. Wade is a pharmacist and researcher working to ensure older persons are taking medications that are necessary, effective, safe, and consistent with their healthcare goals and treatment preferences. This primarily involves developing and evaluating strategies to stop medications when they are no longer a good fit (“deprescribing”). Wade approaches deprescribing and polypharmacy management research with a multi-methods approach, incorporating qualitative methods, pharmacoepidemiological methods, knowledge translation, and implementation science. He is also an investigator with the deprescribing.org initiative. Wade has worked clinically as a pharmacist in long-term care, geriatric outpatient clinics, and primary care clinics.
CME CREDITS: The Division of Continuing Professional Development, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine (UBC CPD) is fully accredited by the Continuing Medical Education Accreditation Committee (CACME) to provide CPD credits for physicians. This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by UBC CPD for up to 1.0 Mainpro+ Certified Activity credit.
NEW: BC family physicians and nurse practitioners signed up for the Portrait program can claim up to 5.0 Mainpro+ Certified Assessment Activity credits by viewing the Letter and Portrait, attending this live webinar, completing a brief evaluation survey after the event (including the optional portion), and completing another brief follow up assessment a month after the event.
Each physician should claim only those credits accrued through participation in the activity to which they are entitled.
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