Diabetes & metabolism
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Diabetes & metabolism · Dec 2011
ReviewImproving diabetes management with electronic medical records.
Most primary-care physicians have adopted electronic medical records (EMRs) for the management of patients in ambulatory care. Observational trials suggest that the use of EMRs improves the achievement of the recommended standards of diabetes care and intermediate outcomes. A French group of general practitioners has shown, in a randomized controlled trial of diabetes care, the beneficial effects of a follow-up module integrated into an EMR. ⋯ All of these materials can be generated from EMRs. The widespread and optimalized use of EMRs for diabetes care with links to the national diabetes register and the capacity to supply PHRs are major considerations. Achieving these goals requires a common initiative comprising primary care and diabetes scientific societies in cooperation with diabetes patients'associations.
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Health authorities currently have high expectations for telemedicine (TM), as it addresses several major challenges: to improve access to healthcare (especially for patients in underserved or remote areas); to overcome the scarcity of specialists faced with epidemic disease; and to reduce the costs of healthcare while improving quality. The aims of TM in the field of diabetes differ according to the type of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes (T1DM) associated with complex insulin regimens, the goal of TM is to help patients achieve better control of their blood glucose levels through accurate adjustment of insulin doses. ⋯ Second, systems combining an interactive Internet system (or a mobile phone coupled to a remote server) with a system of communication between the healthcare provider and the patient by e-mail, texting or phone calls have also shown certain benefits for glycaemic control. These systems, primarily aimed at T2DM patients, generally provide motivational support as well. Although the individual benefits of these systems for glycaemic control are fewer than with smartphones, their widespread use should be of particular value for overcoming the relative shortage of doctors and reducing the health costs associated with a disease of such epidemic proportions.
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Diabetes & metabolism · Dec 2011
What do patients with diabetes and diabetologists--especially those in private practice--expect from the new technologies for diabetes care in the future?
Thanks to the high volume of patients'consultations delivered, and especially in private practice, diabetologists are able to accurately describe the expectations of diabetic patients with the new and mostly future technologies. In addition, diabetologists are also able to imagine how these technologies will change their medical practices in future.