Smart Care Based on Telemonitoring and Telemedicine for Type 2 Diabetes Care: Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: This study was performed to determine the effectiveness of the Smart Care service on glucose control based on telemedicine and telemonitoring compared with conventional treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and methods: This 24-week prospective multi-center randomized controlled trial involved 338 adult patients with type 2 diabetes at four university hospitals in South Korea. The patients were randomly assigned to a control group (group A, n = 113), a telemonitoring group (group B, n = 113), or a telemedicine group (group C, n = 112). Patients in the telemonitoring group visited the outpatient clinic regularly, accompanied by an additional telemonitoring service that included remote glucose monitoring with automated patient decision support by text. Remote glucose monitoring was identical in the telemedicine group, but assessment by outpatient visits was replaced by video conferencing with an endocrinologist.

Results: The adjusted net reductions in HbA1c concentration after 24 weeks were similar in the conventional, telemonitoring, and telemedicine groups (-0.66% ± 1.03% vs. -0.66% ± 1.09% vs. -0.81% ± 1.05%; p > 0.05 for each pairwise comparison). Fasting glucose concentrations were lower in the telemonitoring and telemedicine groups than in the conventional group. Rates of hypoglycemia were lower in the telemedicine group than in the other two groups, and compliance with medication was better in the telemonitoring and telemedicine than in the conventional group. No serious adverse events were associated with telemedicine.

Conclusions: Telehealthcare was as effective as conventional care at improving glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes without serious adverse effects.

Keywords: behavioral health; education; telehealth; telemedicine; telenursing.