Diabetics who received tele-consultation in addition to three doctor visits a year were able to better manage their sugar levels and nearly halve their risk of complications, according to a single-centre study from Kerala.
Integrating telemedicine significantly reduces vascular complications, according to the 124-person study conducted by Dr Jothydev’s Diabetes Research Centre that followed patients for an average of eight to 10 years.
HOW CONSTANT COMMUNICATION HELPS
When people with diabetes checked in frequently with their healthcare professionals online, they improved their compliance and reduced their complications, the commonest being neuropathy (nerve damage that causes weakness, numbness, and pain) and coronary artery disease.
“We asked all our patients to see their doctor in person at least three times a year and communicated with half of them, who were part of the intervention group, through telemedicine twice a month. This resulted in a better follow-up protocol than what most people with diabetes receive,” said Dr Jothydev Kesavadev, chairman of the centre.
That’s because the frequency of monitoring goes up, resulting in better care protocols. “Through tele-consultations in between physical appointments, the team was able to keep a track of blood glucose levels, weight and the consistency of medicine use among patients. This information can then be used by the doctor during subsequent visits to personalise the care that patients receive,” explained Dr Jothydev.
The tele-consultations are also a means of educating patients so that they themselves improve their compliance to habits such as eating healthy, exercising, taking medicines regularly and checking their blood glucose levels regularly. “We found that a simple intervention that allowed patients to remain in touch with their health teams had a significant impact in reducing complications,” said Dr Jothydev.
WHY IS THIS FINDING SIGNIFICANT?
That’s because India has 101 million people living with diabetes in the country and another 136 million with pre-diabetes, according to a study by the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) with INDIAB.
WHAT ARE CHALLENGES?
Dr Jothydev feels that providing such comprehensive care requires time and effort of the healthcare staff. “So there has to be investment in it. No insurance covers tele-consultations and most hospitals may not want to invest in the additional time of the health workers for a telemedicine programme despite the returns for patient outcomes,” he said.
Dr Jothydev’s team tried to see whether similar interventions with an app could help but found that most people switched off or ignored notifications. “Even if someone strictly complies with app instructions for a couple of months, they start ignoring them the moment they see their levels are in range. It is only when they speak to their treating team that there is long-term impact and health management,” he said.
(Story courtesy: indianexpress.com)