Gigi Sorenson
Controlling diabetes with telemedicine
January 07, 2020
By Gigi Sorenson
Numerous public campaigns such as National Diabetes Month have been created to bring awareness to the disease in hopes of improving outcomes for patients. Most people have knowledge of diabetes, as practically everyone has a friend or family member who struggles with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Everyone knows the role sugar, insulin, and medication plans in management. Most people are also aware that regular monitoring of blood sugar, and regular trips to a physician, are beneficial to proper management. What remains overlooked, however, is the role telemedicine can play in making this process easier. Telemedicine has advanced to such a degree that it is helping diabetes patients to manage their condition effectively from anywhere and live healthier, happier lives.
Dr. David G. Marrero, director of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Border Health Disparities in Tucson, says, “Diabetes may be the most serious public health crisis of our time.” And he isn’t wrong. Afterall, an estimated 30 million Americans live with diabetes, lowering general health outcomes for this population while increasing costs for the healthcare system. As staggering as it sounds, more than 84 million people in the U.S. alone are at risk of acquiring the chronic disease. And if they acquire it, they are almost twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke, and can experience kidney failure, blindness, amputation and depression. Over 83,000 people die of diabetes each year.
That is pretty staggering when you think about it. The medical community can improve the situation with the help of prevention and better management.
Controlling a crisis with telemedicine
While many patients have yet to dip their toes in the telehealth water, patients with diabetes are already active participants in their own care plans. Many inject themselves with insulin or monitor their blood sugar levels at home and remotely share the results. Progressing to other forms of virtual care can feel like a natural next step, meaning diabetes patients may be best equipped to be telemedicine adopters.
So, what does telemedicine mean for those with diabetes? Telemedicine offers six convenient and clinically responsible advantages when it comes to managing diabetes:
1. Consistent monitoring. Blood sugar spot checks offer just a momentary glimpse into a patient’s ongoing status. Telehealth can enable round-the-clock monitoring, giving providers a 24-hour profile and a better understanding of the patient’s condition.
2. Support for lifestyle modifications. An American Diabetes Association study found that digital health tools can help patients lose weight, lower blood pressure and follow other healthy behaviors that can curb diabetes. Patients can even connect with support groups from their own homes, sharing fitness and nutritional advice to improve wellness.
3. Patient engagement. Compliance with treatment plans can make or break a patient’s improvement. Telehealth especially in combination with connected devices enables patients to participate in their own care from home and allows clinicians to remotely observe a diabetic’s condition and progress – helping the patient stay on track.
4. Depression treatment. People with diabetes are at least twice as likely to suffer from depression as non-diabetics. Often the link between diabetes and depression functions as a cycle, with low blood sugar creating a feeling of malaise and lethargy that can then contribute to poor eating habits, lack of exercise and self-neglect. Behavioral health counselors and coaches can virtually treat depression and encourage lifestyle changes.
5. Preventive programs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is trying to stop at-risk people from developing type 2 diabetes through their National Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPP). The program offers group sessions that focus on long-term dietary change, increased exercise and weight control strategies. Telehealth helps providers deliver DPP programs to rural areas without specialized diabetes expertise. Coordinators can share online patient education materials and measure each participant’s physical activity and weight loss progress.
6. Cost control. Diabetes imposes a staggering economic burden on our healthcare system. The American Diabetes Association estimated that the cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. hit $327 billion in 2017, with reduced productivity costing another $90 billion. As Dr. Marrero said, “If you think our healthcare system is stressed now and that the costs are exacerbated, put another 40 to 50 million people with diabetes into the mix, and we’ll be in very deep trouble.”
Opening a virtual door to diabetes care
Recently 19 U.S. senators asked CMS and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to reimburse telemedicine services to improve outcomes for Americans at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Their letter stated, “A Medicare beneficiary’s access to the life-improving program should not, and cannot, be determined solely by the zip code in which he or she lives.” That’s actually the telemedicine philosophy for all healthcare needs for all patients. So the fact that more leaders are seeing virtual care’s benefits, regardless of specialty, is a positive for patients, especially those with special needs or who live in rural areas.
Let’s hope more providers use telemedicine to reach more patients with diabetes before the current crisis gets worse. If we want to control healthcare costs, the massive diabetes patient population is a good place to start. If telemedicine can make management easier, the hope is doctors and patients will continue adoption, as the technology is now at a level where telemedicine is a genuinely viable, effective way for patients to get active for their own health and care.
About the author: Gigi Sorenson, RN, MSN, is Chief Clinical Officer and Vice President of Operations for GlobalMed, an international provider of virtual care solutions. With over 25 million consults delivered in 60 countries and specializing in both federal and commercial spaces, GlobalMed’s telemedicine platform is used worldwide from the Department of Veteran Affairs and White House Medical Unit to rural hospitals, and villages in Africa.
Numerous public campaigns such as National Diabetes Month have been created to bring awareness to the disease in hopes of improving outcomes for patients. Most people have knowledge of diabetes, as practically everyone has a friend or family member who struggles with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Everyone knows the role sugar, insulin, and medication plans in management. Most people are also aware that regular monitoring of blood sugar, and regular trips to a physician, are beneficial to proper management. What remains overlooked, however, is the role telemedicine can play in making this process easier. Telemedicine has advanced to such a degree that it is helping diabetes patients to manage their condition effectively from anywhere and live healthier, happier lives.
Dr. David G. Marrero, director of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Border Health Disparities in Tucson, says, “Diabetes may be the most serious public health crisis of our time.” And he isn’t wrong. Afterall, an estimated 30 million Americans live with diabetes, lowering general health outcomes for this population while increasing costs for the healthcare system. As staggering as it sounds, more than 84 million people in the U.S. alone are at risk of acquiring the chronic disease. And if they acquire it, they are almost twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke, and can experience kidney failure, blindness, amputation and depression. Over 83,000 people die of diabetes each year.
That is pretty staggering when you think about it. The medical community can improve the situation with the help of prevention and better management.
Controlling a crisis with telemedicine
While many patients have yet to dip their toes in the telehealth water, patients with diabetes are already active participants in their own care plans. Many inject themselves with insulin or monitor their blood sugar levels at home and remotely share the results. Progressing to other forms of virtual care can feel like a natural next step, meaning diabetes patients may be best equipped to be telemedicine adopters.
So, what does telemedicine mean for those with diabetes? Telemedicine offers six convenient and clinically responsible advantages when it comes to managing diabetes:
1. Consistent monitoring. Blood sugar spot checks offer just a momentary glimpse into a patient’s ongoing status. Telehealth can enable round-the-clock monitoring, giving providers a 24-hour profile and a better understanding of the patient’s condition.
2. Support for lifestyle modifications. An American Diabetes Association study found that digital health tools can help patients lose weight, lower blood pressure and follow other healthy behaviors that can curb diabetes. Patients can even connect with support groups from their own homes, sharing fitness and nutritional advice to improve wellness.
3. Patient engagement. Compliance with treatment plans can make or break a patient’s improvement. Telehealth especially in combination with connected devices enables patients to participate in their own care from home and allows clinicians to remotely observe a diabetic’s condition and progress – helping the patient stay on track.
4. Depression treatment. People with diabetes are at least twice as likely to suffer from depression as non-diabetics. Often the link between diabetes and depression functions as a cycle, with low blood sugar creating a feeling of malaise and lethargy that can then contribute to poor eating habits, lack of exercise and self-neglect. Behavioral health counselors and coaches can virtually treat depression and encourage lifestyle changes.
5. Preventive programs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is trying to stop at-risk people from developing type 2 diabetes through their National Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPP). The program offers group sessions that focus on long-term dietary change, increased exercise and weight control strategies. Telehealth helps providers deliver DPP programs to rural areas without specialized diabetes expertise. Coordinators can share online patient education materials and measure each participant’s physical activity and weight loss progress.
6. Cost control. Diabetes imposes a staggering economic burden on our healthcare system. The American Diabetes Association estimated that the cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. hit $327 billion in 2017, with reduced productivity costing another $90 billion. As Dr. Marrero said, “If you think our healthcare system is stressed now and that the costs are exacerbated, put another 40 to 50 million people with diabetes into the mix, and we’ll be in very deep trouble.”
Opening a virtual door to diabetes care
Recently 19 U.S. senators asked CMS and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to reimburse telemedicine services to improve outcomes for Americans at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Their letter stated, “A Medicare beneficiary’s access to the life-improving program should not, and cannot, be determined solely by the zip code in which he or she lives.” That’s actually the telemedicine philosophy for all healthcare needs for all patients. So the fact that more leaders are seeing virtual care’s benefits, regardless of specialty, is a positive for patients, especially those with special needs or who live in rural areas.
Let’s hope more providers use telemedicine to reach more patients with diabetes before the current crisis gets worse. If we want to control healthcare costs, the massive diabetes patient population is a good place to start. If telemedicine can make management easier, the hope is doctors and patients will continue adoption, as the technology is now at a level where telemedicine is a genuinely viable, effective way for patients to get active for their own health and care.
About the author: Gigi Sorenson, RN, MSN, is Chief Clinical Officer and Vice President of Operations for GlobalMed, an international provider of virtual care solutions. With over 25 million consults delivered in 60 countries and specializing in both federal and commercial spaces, GlobalMed’s telemedicine platform is used worldwide from the Department of Veteran Affairs and White House Medical Unit to rural hospitals, and villages in Africa.