Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong YSF, Ko YT, Ko WYD, Wong SC, Chan YYR
Affiliation :
Department of Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tung Wah Eastern Hospital
Introduction :
Suboptimal glycemic control can cause complex health complication & mortality. With the advancement in technology, the telehealth service has offered an alternative option to improve healthcare access. Telehealth platforms not only allow healthcare providers to maintain a close watch on their patients, but also enabling timely interventions and personalized care plans for them. Therefore, telehealth nurse consultation was pioneered to initiate in TWEH DM Centre.
Objectives :
To evaluate the effectiveness of telehealth nurse consultation on glycemic control and patients’ satisfaction and patients' travel time reduction.
Methodology :
Patients with sub-optimal diabetes management, (as indicated by HbA1c levels >7%), were recruited for telehealth nurse consultations between November 2023 and May 2024. The impact on glycemic control was evaluated both prior to and 3 to 6 months following the tele-consultation. To assess patient satisfaction and the quality of care provided by diabetes nurses, a modified version of the HA Go Tele-consultation Feedback was developed, consisting of five questions focused on the patient experience during telehealth consultations.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 19 patients were recruited for the study, with a gender distribution of 42% male and 58% female. The mean age of the participants was 54.3 years, and 95% were diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM), with a mean duration of the disease of 16.5 years. All participants had attained at least a secondary education, and 84% were part of a working group. Among the patients, 58% were insulin users, and 34% had their treatment regimens adjusted by a diabetes nurse during tele-nurse consultations. The results indicated a significant reduction in HbA1c levels, which decreased from 8.41 ± 1.44% to 7.75 ± 1.10% (P=0.004) for tele-nurse consultations, comparable to the reduction observed in in-person consultations from 8.61 ± 2.18% to 7.7 ± 1.38%. Additionally, fasting glucose levels improved from 7.52 ± 2.93 to 7.03 ± 2.50, and LDL cholesterol levels decreased from 2.62 ± 1.27 to 2.15 ± 0.82 during tele-nurse consultations. Participants averaged 1.3 tele-nurse visits, resulting in a substantial reduction in travel time by an average of 132 minutes. Overall, patients reported a positive experience regarding their self-care in diabetes management, achieving a satisfaction rating of 4.6 out of 5.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that tele-nurse consultations can be an effective alternative to in-person visits in managing diabetes care.
