Diabetes Remote Monitoring

Research Objectives:
The Center for Connected Health and MGH Ambulatory Practice of the Future have formed a partnership to test and assess a treatment approach for Type 2 Diabetics. The purpose of this program is to facilitate the remote monitoring of patients with Type 2 diabetes, in coordination with Bulfinch Medical Group, and help the patients monitor and understand their blood glucose levels and trends over time.

Drivers:
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects the daily lives of more than 20 million adults and children in the United States – and this number is growing rapidly.  People with diabetes do not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that helps to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy, which causes glucose to build up in the blood instead of going into cells. High levels of sugar in the blood over time can lead to serious health complications. Understanding how to keep blood glucose (sugar) levels within normal range and minimize fluctuations throughout the day is essential to managing Type 2 Diabetes and mitigating the onset of related problems such as eye, nerve, kidney and blood vessel damage (American Diabetic Association).

Program Overview:
The Center for Connected Health and MGH Ambulatory Practice of the Future will offer a system to help patients collect and transmit their blood sugar readings. This allows both patients and care providers improved opportunities for managing blood sugar levels.

Patients will send their blood glucose measurements via a communications gateway linked through a telephone line. They will have the option to access their blood glucose details and understand their glucose trends from the convenience of their home. Their providers have improved information about their patients’ blood glucose readings and daily logs to help understand and manage patient care plans outside of scheduled office visits. 

This new approach for patient self-management and care team remote monitoring creates pathways of communication and collaboration to improve “real time” management of diabetes.

Member Comments

As part of an AHRQ grant in its 4th year for which I am the PI we have been utilizing a similar process - screening patients with chronic wounds for hypeglycemia, if present we have our CDE contact patient, develop and impliment an evidence based plan of care and set the patient up for vital sign monitoing over POTS to a secure internet accessable ASP database where results can be assessed longitudinally.

Charles A. Bryant, MD

Pesident
Evident Health Services

 

Posted by: Charles A. Bryant, MD
11/7/2007

 

Texas tried a pilot program of heart disease and diabetes remote montoring in Laredo a few years back using the Health Buddy system. It posted positive results. Here is a brief overview from 2002:

Mercy Health System improves compliance and decreases visits using wireless devices. (www.mercylaredo.com) The Laredo, Texas hospital uses a low cost, Web-enabled device called the Health Buddy® appliance to help indigent or economically disadvantaged patients with heart disease self-manage their conditions. Health indicators such as weight, blood pressure, and fatigue are tracked and monitored by a case management nurse who intervenes with instructions such as diet modification or other behavioral changes as needed. If the monitoring reveals any significant change in a patient's condition, the device actually instructs the patient to call the physician, and the nurse follows up to ensure that the patient does in fact see the doctor. The results? Medication compliance increased from 34% to 94%, 93% of patients said the Health Buddy appliance helped them better manage their disease, and hospitalization rates were reduced.
--Healthcare Strategy Alert Newsletter

James Cooley

Research Specialist V
Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Posted by: James Cooley
1/22/2008

 

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