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Purpose: The primary objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of a telehealth program by comparing changes in HbgA1c over 6 ± 3 months of patients in a clinical pharmacist managed telehealth clinic versus in-person clinic. Secondary endpoints included change in HgbA1c over 12 ± 3 months, change in weight, enrollment into the MOVE! program, diabetes medication changes, compliance to clinic appointments, and adverse events related to diabetes medications. The study also evaluated patient responses to an ease of telehealth use survey.
Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of patients receiving diabetes care by a clinical pharmacist via in-person and telehealth modalities from January 2010 to December 2011 at an outpatient clinic affiliated with the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital. Patient data collected include clinic location, age, gender, co-morbid diseases, diabetes management via other healthcare professionals, HgbA1c, weight, diabetes medications, status of enrollment into MOVE! program, and adverse events of diabetes medications at baseline ± 2 months, 6 ± 3 months, and 12 ± 3 months. An ease of telehealth use survey consisting of 10 multiple choice questions was conducted to assess whether patients perceived any barriers to the telehealth use and believed it to be an appropriate method for diabetes management.
Results: The in-person group had an average HgbA1c reduction of 1.1% at 6 months versus 0.88% reduction in the telehealth group, P=0.46. Secondary outcomes revealed no statistically significant difference between the two patient groups. Outcomes of the ease of telehealth use survey were in favor of the telehealth technology use.
Conclusion: Telehealth was found to be an equally effective method of health care delivery when compared to the traditional in-person method used in a clinical pharmacist run diabetes clinic. Telehealth technology opens opportunities for increasing access to care and decreasing healthcare costs.