Can vital sign data provided through remote patient monitoring for diabetes ultimately help maximize patient outcomes? With remote patient monitoring, clinicians can closely monitor blood glucose levels, ensuring effective treatment plans. To assess the efficacy of remote patient monitoring in diabetes care, this article breaks down how remote blood-glucose monitoring works and its benefits.
The Current State of Diabetes and Healthcare
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States and the 4th most common cause of physician visits. The estimated annual cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $327 billion. And that number rose from $245 billion in 2012 and is projected to increase if current practices don’t evolve.
The largest medical expenditures associated with diabetes are:
- Hospital inpatient care (30% of the total medical cost)
- Prescription medications to treat complications of diabetes (30%)
- Anti-diabetic agents and diabetes supplies (15%)
- Physician office visits (13%)
The cost of losing a loved one to diabetes is even more devastating than the staggering healthcare expenditure statistics. Diabetes is an endocrine disorder, which requires proper management. If not properly managed, this costly disease can cause kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and blindness. Thus, close monitoring of blood glucose levels is vital and can help identify symptoms of type 2 diabetes in its early phases and delay its progression. And, this is why Medicare and Medicaid see the value that remote patient monitoring for diabetes can provide..
Remote Patient Monitoring for Diabetes
With remote patient monitoring for patients with diabetes, blood-glucose levels are regularly monitored. Physicians set vital sign reading thresholds and are immediately alerted when fluctuations are recorded. Thus, allowing care providers to take the appropriate actions to treat their patients. Remote patient monitoring technologies help reduce hospital readmissions by focusing on identifying problems early and providing preventive care. Reducing rehospitalization with remote patient monitoring ultimately lowers the high costs associated with diabetes treatment.
The findings from a study published in the World Journal of Diabetes indicate that telemedicine is effective for improving HbA1c and, thus, glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. In addition, telemedicine interventions were also found to improve other health outcomes as well as QoL scores significantly.
Patients enrolled in remote patient monitoring for diabetes programs are responsible for taking their blood-glucose measurements at least 16 days a month. Because they know that care providers will monitor their blood-glucose measurements, patients are more likely to adhere to their treatment plans and adopt healthier behaviors. In addition, remote weight monitoring can be used to help patients maintain a healthy weight. Remote blood glucose monitoring also helps clinicians observe what works and adjust to optimize patient treatment plans.
How to Use a Blood Glucose Meter in Remote Patient Monitoring for Diabetes
Tenovi’s Blood Glucose Monitor enables remote patient monitoring for diabetes patients. The kit includes a cell-enabled meter, lancet, and custom test strips.
Gather all the materials and perform the following steps with clean hands:
- Insert the test strip into the meter.
- Wipe your finger with an alcohol pad and let dry.
- Gently prick the side of the finger with the lancet.
- Place a drop of blood onto the test strip and wait for the reading.
Most patients with diabetes should aim to keep blood glucose levels at 80-130mg/dL before a meal or below 180 mg/dL about 2 hours after a meal.
Remote Patient Monitoring for Diabetes and Replacement Supplies
A critical aspect of improving patient non-adherence is making sure that diabetes patients always have glucose monitoring supplies on hand. Tenovi remote patient monitoring solutions track and analyze patient usage of lancets and test strips. Therefore, they offer a replenishment program for glucose monitoring supplies. As a result, Tenovi can automatically ship and refill supplies, ensuring patients always have the necessary blood glucose monitoring supplies on hand. Tenovi works exclusively with chronic care management, telehealth, rpm service, and software companies that would like to offer remote patient monitoring devices and solutions to healthcare providers.
Diabetes Management
With proper management, individuals with diabetes can have a very high quality of life. By managing blood-glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol, many complications caused by diabetes can be avoided. Blood glucose readings help clinicians and patients understand whether their current management plan is working. Furthermore, a Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology study noted that telehealth remote patient monitoring interventions incorporating more key elements of structured self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG ) appear to have the most significant impact on A1C levels.
The most effective practices for managing diabetes include:
- Taking regular blood glucose measurements
- Following a meal plan
- Exercising
- Consistently taking medications
- Effectively managing stress
The Importance of Regular Blood Glucose Monitoring for Diabetes
Helping to engage patients in regular blood glucose monitoring for diabetes through remote patient monitoring is crucial. Regular blood glucose monitoring allows patients to be more informed and involved in managing their diabetes. They’ll understand how their eating, exercise levels, medications, stress, and other behaviors affect their blood glucose levels. With real-time, accurate blood glucose data, clinicians can efficiently manage patients’ treatment plans to improve outcomes.
Remote patient monitoring does not substitute regular in-office appointments. Individuals with diabetes typically see their doctors every 3-6 months. Remote patient monitoring focuses on providing continual data to physicians for better healthcare between visits to ensure that complications are not progressing.
Tenovi works exclusively with companies that would like to offer the benefits of remote patient monitoring solutions to healthcare providers, including rpm service and software companies, chronic care management companies, and telehealth companies. Are your partners interested in setting up remote patient monitoring for diabetes programs for their patients? Visit tenovi.com to learn more about our no sync, no app RPM hardware and software services.
