Tele-Mum: A Feasibility Study for a Randomized Controlled Trial Exploring the Potential for Telemedicine in the Diabetes Care of Those with Gestational Diabetes. Feasibility of using videoconferencing to provide diabetes education: a pilot study Impact of a telemedicine system with automated reminders on outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Psychosocial Outcomes of Telemedicine Case Management for Elderly Patients With Diabetes A comparison of diabetes education administered through telemedicine versus in person. Costs to Medicare of the Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) Home Telemedicine Demonstration The use of TeleMedicine in the treatment of paediatric obesity: feasibility and acceptability. Telemedicine intervention effects on waist circumference and body mass index in the IDEATel project. Sources of evidence for systematic reviews of interventions in diabetes. A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Behavior Modification and Individual Counseling in the Nutritional Therapy of Non-insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus: Comparison of the Effect on Blood Sugar, Body Weight, and Serum Lipids Chronic care model and shared care in diabetes: randomized trial of an electronic decision support system. An integrated wound-care pathway, supported by telemedicine, and competent wound management - Essential in follow-up care of adults with diabetic foot ulcers Assessment of two culturally competent Diabetes education methods: Individual versus Individual plus Group education in Canadian Portuguese adults with Type 2 Diabetes Impact of a Preconception Counseling Program for Teens With Type 1 Diabetes (READY-Girls) on Patient-Provider Interaction, Resource Utilization, and Cost The Use of Telemedicine in the Management of Diabetes-Related Foot Ulceration: A Pilot Study Use of an internet-based telemedicine system to manage underserved women with gestational diabetes mellitus. An empirical chart analysis of the suitability of telemedicine for hospice visits. Impact on psychosocial outcomes of a nationally available weight management program tailored for individuals with type 2 diabetes: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Telemedicine Experience for Chronic Care in COPD Depression and glycemic control in elderly ethnically diverse patients with diabetes: the IDEATel project. Design and participant characteristics of a randomized-controlled trial of telemedicine for smoking cessation among rural smokers. Evaluating the Costs and Benefits of Outpatient Diabetes Education and Nutrition Counseling Telemedicine for new neurological outpatients: putting a randomized controlled trial in the context of everyday practice.
BACKGROUND The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)--hyperglycemia with onset or first recognition during pregnancy -- is increasing and will have a significant impact on diabetes services . This study aim ed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of using telemedicine in the diabetes care of women with GDM and the possibility of replacing alternate ( one in every two ) diabetes review appointments with telemedicine . SUBJECTS AND METHODS A feasibility study for a r and omized controlled trial was conducted across two sites . Fifty women with GDM were r and omized to usual care ( n = 26 ) or usual care plus telemedicine ( n = 24 ) . Telemedicine entailed weekly blood pressure and weight measurements and transmission of these data , along with blood glucose readings , for review by the healthcare team . Patients were contacted about these results as necessary . Patients completed question naires to measure their satisfaction with telemedicine or blood glucose monitoring .  The intervention group and healthcare providers also took part in qualitative interviews . Analysis involved descriptive statistics for the satisfaction question naires and framework analysis for the qualitative interviews . RESULTS Eighty-nine percent of patients were satisfied with telemedicine and would use it again . Both HCPs and patients found the equipment easy to use and were positive about using it to replace alternate diabetes review appointments in the future . If used in this way , healthcare providers felt that protected time in which to perform the telemedicine review would be necessary . CONCLUSIONS Telemedicine may help meet the growing dem and on diabetes services due to increasing numbers of women being diagnosed with GDM We conducted a pilot study of the effectiveness of individual counselling sessions provided by a dietician through telemedicine for patients with diabetes . All participants received a single group education session via videoconference .  Those who were r and omized to the intervention also received two additional follow-up sessions , four and eight weeks later . Glycosylated haemoglobin and total cholesterol were measured at the start and again 16 weeks later . The patients completed diabetes quality -of-life and telemedicine patient satisfaction surveys . Thirty-two participants consented to participate . Complete data were collected on 13 intervention and 13 control patients . There was a 1 % fall in HbA1c in the intervention group from pre- to post- assessment , although this was not significant . The control group showed a significantly larger fall in HbA1c levels than the intervention group ( P = 0.043 ) . Total cholesterol decreased in both groups , although not significantly . All control and intervention group participants indicated that they would participate in videoconferencing nutritional counselling again . The results suggest that providing nutritional therapy via videoconferencing may be useful in assisting patients to manage their conditions BACKGROUND Health information technology has been proven to be a successful tool for the management of patients with multiple medical conditions . The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an enhanced telemedicine system on glucose control and pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus ( GDM ) . SUBJECTS AND METHODS We used an Internet-based telemedicine system to also allow interactive voice response phone communication between patients and providers and to provide automated reminders to transmit data . Women with GDM were r and omized to either the telemedicine group ( n=40 ) or the control group ( n=40 ) and asked to monitor their blood glucose levels four times a day . Women in the intervention group transmitted those values via the telemedicine system , whereas women in the control group maintained paper logbooks , which were review ed at prenatal visits . Primary outcomes were infant birth weight and maternal glucose control . Data collection included blood glucose records , transmission rates for the intervention group , and chart review . RESULTS There were no significant differences between the two groups ( telemedicine vs. controls ) in regard to maternal blood glucose values or infant birth weight . However , adding telephone access and reminders increased transmission rates of data in the intervention group compared with the intervention group in our previous study ( 35.6±32.3 sets of data vs.17.4±16.9 sets of data ; P<0.01 ) . CONCLUSIONS Our enhanced telemedicine monitoring system increased system utilization and contact between women with GDM and their healthcare providers but did not impact upon pregnancy outcomes Diabetes case management ( DCM ) may improve medical outcomes ( 1,2 ) . Case managers coordinate care and often provide a mix of interventions , e.g. , telephone outreach , education , reminders . However , the efficacy of DCM is unclear . Three systematic review s lend only limited support for the efficacy of DCM for improving glycemic control but none for lipid , weight , or blood pressure benefits ( 3–5 ) . DCM studies typically target biomedical outcomes and ignore potential psychosocial effects . Yet , psychosocial variables ( e.g. , depression , anxiety , social support ) relate to hyperglycemia , complications , adherence , and quality of life ( 6–11 ) . Thus , a positive impact of DCM on these factors is important . Two studies did assess psychosocial outcomes of DCM and found improved self-efficacy and satisfaction ( cluster visit ) ( 12 ) and quality of life ( dietitian-led DCM group ) ( 13 ) . Because barriers ( e.g. , distance , weather ) limit DCM access , telemedicine can be used . A review of telemedicine versus face-to-face trials concluded that , while feasible and acceptable , there is little evidence that telemedicine has clinical benefits ( 14 ) . Our team published results of a trial of telemedicine DCM versus usual care for elderly diabetic patients ( 15 ) . The intervention result ed in significant improvements in glycemic control , blood pressure , and total and LDL cholesterol ( 16 ) . The purpose of the Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine ( IDEATel ) project , funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services , is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of telemedicine with a diverse , medically underserved , elderly diabetic sample . The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the IDEATel intervention on secondary psychosocial outcomes . A detailed description of the IDEATel study design has been previously reported ( 15,16 ) . Medicare recipients were recruited if they were aged ≥55 years , diagnosed with diabetes , and without moderate/severe impairments or comorbidities . Research nurses blinded to the groups OBJECTIVE To determine whether diabetes education can be provided as effectively through telemedicine technology as through in-person encounters with diabetes nurse and nutrition educators . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 56 adults with diabetes were r and omized to receive  diabetes education in person ( control group ) or via telemedicine ( telemedicine group ) and were followed prospect ively . The education consisted of three consultative visits with diabetes nurse and nutrition educators . The in-person and telemedicine groups were compared using measures of glycemic control ( HbA(1c ) ) and question naires to assess patient satisfaction and psychosocial functioning as related to diabetes . Outcome measures were obtained at baseline , immediately after the completion of diabetes education , and 3 months after the third educational visit . RESULTS Patient satisfaction was high in the telemedicine group . Problem Areas in Diabetes scale scores improved significantly with diabetes education ( adjusted P < 0.05 , before vs. immediately after education and 3 months after education ) , and the attainment of behavior-change goals did not differ between groups . With diabetes education , HbA(1c ) improved from 8.6 + /- 1.8 % at baseline to 7.8 + /- 1.5 % immediately after education and 7.8 + /- 1.8 % 3 months after the third educational visit ( unadjusted P < 0.001 , P = 0.089 adjusted for BMI and age ) , with similar changes observed in the telemedicine and in-person groups . CONCLUSIONS Diabetes education via telemedicine and in person was equally effective in improving glycemic control , and both methods were well accepted by patients . Reduced diabetes-related stress was observed in both groups . These data suggest that telemedicine can be successfully used to provide diabetes education to patients OBJECTIVE To estimate the impacts on Medicare costs of providing a particular type of home telemedicine to eligible Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Two cohorts of beneficiaries ( n = 1,665 and 504 , respectively ) living in two medically underserved areas of New York between 2000 and 2007 were r and omized to intensive nurse case management via televisits or usual care .  Medicare service use and costs covering a 6-year follow-up period were drawn from cl aims data . Impacts were estimated using regression analyses . RESULTS Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine ( IDEATel ) did not reduce Medicare costs in either site . Total costs were between 71 and 116 % higher for the treatment group than for the control group . CONCLUSIONS Although IDEATel had modest effects on clinical outcomes ( reported elsewhere ) , it did not reduce Medicare use or costs for health services . The intervention 's costs were excessive ( over $ 8,000 per person per year ) compared with programs with similar-sized clinical impacts To assess the feasibility of conducting empirically supported family-based paediatric obesity group treatment via TeleMedicine .  Seventeen families were r and omly assigned to one of two conditions ( physician visit , TeleMedicine ) . Measures included feasibility , satisfaction and intervention outcome measures such as BMI percentile , and nutrition and activity behaviours . Measures were completed at baseline , post-treatment and at 1-year follow-up . Analyses indicate that both feasibility and satisfaction data regarding the TeleMedicine intervention were positive . Intervention outcome indicates no change in BMI percentile or nutrition and activity behaviours for either treatment group . A behavioural family-based weight loss intervention delivered via TeleMedicine was well received by both parents and providers . Due to the small sample size , null findings regarding intervention outcome should be interpreted with caution . Future research should focus on methods to increase the impact of this intervention on key outcome variables BACKGROUND We examine the changes in waist circumference ( WC ) and body mass index ( BMI ) in older adults enrolled in a diabetes telemedicine program . The subjects were elderly Medicare beneficiaries participating in the rural ( upstate New York ) cohort of Informatics and Diabetes Education and Telemedicine , a r and omized , controlled trial using telemedicine to improve diabetes care in which the primary outcome was glycemic control . METHODS Ninety-two percent of the subjects had BMI > 25 kg/m(2 ) , and 65.8 % had a BMI > or = 30 kg/m(2 ) . Intervention subjects received home televisits with a dietitian or nurse educator every 4 - 6 weeks .  Blood glucose and blood pressure values  were review ed , and lifestyle and medication changes were recommended . Non-intervention subjects received usual care through their primary care physicians . Change in WC , BMI , diet , and exercise behaviors and knowledge were examined at baseline and 12 and 24 months . A mixed-effects path analysis was performed to examine direct and indirect effects . RESULTS The telemedicine participants increased diet and exercise knowledge over time ( P < 0.001 ) . It was estimated that women in the  telemedicine  group reduced their WC over the 2 years by 1.2 cm , whereas women in the usual care group increased their WC by almost 1 cm ( P = 0.02 ) . Path analysis demonstrated that the intervention , through improved diet and exercise knowledge , was related to the decrease in WC ( P = 0.006 ) and BMI ( P = 0.004 ) . CONCLUSIONS Diabetes case management using telemedicine improved self-reported diet and exercise knowledge , practice s , and behaviors , which in turn was associated with reductions in WC and BMI at 2 years AIMS To analyse the effect on systematic review s in diabetes interventions of including only trials that are indexed in medline , and to assess the impact of adding trials from other data bases and the grey literature . METHODS All systematic review s of diabetes interventions which included a meta- analysis of r and omized controlled trials , and were published since 1996 , were selected . The impact on the meta- analysis of including only those trials indexed in medline , and the effect of then adding trials from other sources , was assessed . Where possible this was measured quantitatively , by redoing the meta- analysis , otherwise a qualitative estimate was made . RESULTS Forty-four systematic review s met our inclusion criteria . There were 120 articles reporting trial data which were not indexed in medline . These came from 52 % of the review s. In 34 % of the review s , basing a meta- analysis on a search of only medline would miss trials that could affect the result . Sources of non- medline data which had the biggest effect on the meta-analyses were journal articles from central and embase ( mainly in Diabetes , Nutrition and Metabolism ) and unpublished data ( mainly from industry ) . The exceptions were journal articles on herbal medicine , mostly indexed in Chinese language data bases . CONCLUSIONS A search of only the medline data base is insufficient for systematic review s of diabetes , because in about 34 % of review s the missed trials could affect the results of the meta- analysis . It is recommended that central ( on the Cochrane Library ) also be search ed . Scanning meeting abstract s , and seeking unpublished data are also recommended if the intervention has only recently been introduced To determine whether a group behavior modification approach might be preferable to individual counseling in the nutritional therapy of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus , 40 adults younger than 65 yr of age with diabetes mellitus who were not receiving insulin were r and omized to either a program of individualized dietary review and recommendations or a program of group meetings aim ed at controlling the signals leading to overeating and noncompliance with a diabetic dietary regimen . Statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ) decreases in body weight , sum skin-fold thickness , fasting serum glucose , and serum triglycerides but not LDL-C or HDL-C were observed . The individual counseling group had a greater amount of weight loss than the behavior modification group . There were no significant ( P < 0.05 ) differences between the two groups with respect to the biochemical outcome variables . Patient characteristics assessed at entry — namely anxiety , internal versus external locus of control and perceived disease severity , and compliance with advice — were significantly associated with weight loss in the behavior modification group while only the latter index was of value in the individual counseling group . Thus , our use of these programs does not identify a clear advantage of either approach in the nutritional therapy of non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of a specialist telemedicine intervention for improving diabetes care using the chronic care model ( CCM ) . PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS As part of the CCM , 97 primary care physicians at 6 primary care practice s in Rochester , MN , referred 639 patients to an on-site diabetes educator between July 1 , 2001 , and December 31 , 2003 . On first referral , physicians were central ly r and omized to receive a telemedicine intervention ( specialty advice and evidence -based messages regarding medication management for cardiovascular risk ) or no intervention , keeping outcome assessors and data analysts blinded to group assignment . After each subsequent clinical encounter , endocrinologists review ed an abstract from the patient 's electronic medical record and provided management recommendations and supporting evidence to intervention physicians via e-mail . Control physicians received e-mail with periodic generic information about cardiovascular risk reduction in diabetes . Outcome measures included diabetes care processes ( diabetes test completion ) , outcomes ( metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors , estimated coronary artery disease risk ) , and patient costs ( payer perspective ) . RESULTS During the intervention , 951 ( 70 % ) of the 1361 endocrinology review s detected performance gaps and result ed in a message ; primary care physicians reported using 49 % of messages in patient care . With a mean of 21 months ' follow-up , the intervention , compared with control , did not significantly enhance metabolic outcomes or reduce estimated risk of coronary artery disease ( adjusted mean difference , -1 % ; 95 % confidence interval , -19 % to 17 % ) . The intervention group incurred lower costs ( P=.02 ) but not in diabetes-related costs . CONCLUSION Specialty telemedicine did not significantly enhance the value of CCM in primary care INTRODUCTION Diabetic foot ulcers are a feared complication of diabetes . Care delivered via telemedicine is suggested to be a more integrated care pathway to manage diabetic foot ulcers than traditionally delivered healthcare . Our aim was to explore patients ' experiences with telemedicine follow-up care as compared to traditional care . METHODS Interpretive description was used as an analysis strategy . Data were collected using individual semi-structured interviews in the context of a larger ongoing clustered r and omized controlled trial . Twenty-four patients ( 13 in the intervention group ; 11 in the control group ) , aged 38 - 88 years were purposively recruited from the RCT in order to obtain a diverse sample in terms of group composition ( intervention vs. control ) , age , gender , marital status , setting , and comorbidities present . The control group received traditional care . RESULTS Three themes emerged from the interpretive analysis : competence of healthcare professionals , continuity of care , and easy access . This was independed of types of follow-up that had limited impact on the patients ' follow-up experiences . Competence of healthcare professionals and continuity of care were crucial , because they can either enhance or jeopardize wound care . If these two latter factors were absent , patients would lose confidence in the wound care process . If this happened , patients pointed out that the expert knowledge of a specialist clinic was essential to receive good care . When telemedicine functioned optimally , telemedicine was an advantage in the treatment , because the images quickly captured changes in the wound healing that immediately could be corrected . Easy access is important for patients , but the importance of accessibility appears to be primary when the other two factors were present . CONCLUSION The best wound care pathway for patients with diabetes foot ulcers is depended on a combination of competence and professional skills in wound management , and continuity of care . If telemedicine is functioning as intended , it can be an important additional tool Objective . To examine the impact of two culturally competent diabetes education methods , individual counselling and individual counselling in conjunction with group education , on nutrition adherence and glycemic control in Portuguese Canadian adults with type 2 diabetes over a three-month period . Design . The Diabetes Education Centre is located in the urban multicultural city of Toronto , Ontario , Canada . We used a three-month r and omized controlled trial design . Eligible Portuguese-speaking adults with type 2 diabetes were r and omly assigned to receive either diabetes education counselling only ( control group ) or counselling in conjunction with group education ( intervention group ) . Of the 61 patients who completed the study , 36 were in the counselling only and 25 in the  counselling with group education intervention . We used a per- protocol analysis to examine the efficacy of the two educational approaches on nutrition adherence and glycemic control ; paired t-tests to compare results within groups and analysis of covariance ( ACOVA ) to compare outcomes between groups adjusting for baseline measures . The Theory of Planned Behaviour was used to describe the behavioural mechanisms that influenced nutrition adherence . Results . Attitudes , subjective norms , perceived behaviour control , and intentions towards nutrition adherence , self-reported nutrition adherence and glycemic control significantly improved in both groups , over the three-month study period . Yet , those receiving individual counselling with group education showed greater improvement in all measures with the exception of glycemic control , where no significant difference was found between the two groups at three months . Conclusions . Our study findings provide preliminary evidence that culturally competent group education in conjunction with individual counselling may be more efficacious in shaping eating behaviours than individual counselling alone for Canadian Portuguese adults with type 2 diabetes . However , larger longitudinal studies are needed to determine the most efficacious education method to sustain long-term nutrition adherence and glycemic control OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a preconception counseling program tailored for teens with type 1 diabetes on cognitive , psychosocial , and behavioral outcomes and to assess its cost-effectiveness . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 88 teens with type 1 diabetes from two sites were r and omized into the READY-Girls ( Reproductive-health Education and Awareness of Diabetes in Youth for Girls ) intervention ( IG ) ( n = 43 ) or st and ard care ( SC ) ( n = 45 ) groups . During three diabetes clinic visits , IG subjects viewed a two-part CD-ROM , read a book , and met with a nurse .  Program effectiveness was measured by knowledge , attitudes , intentions , and behaviors regarding diabetes , pregnancy , sexuality , and preconception counseling . Assessment s occurred at baseline , before and after viewing program material s , and at 9 months . Economic analyses included an assessment of re source utilization , direct medical costs , and a break-even cost analysis .  RESULTS Age range was 13.2–19.7 years ( mean ± SD 16.7 ± 1.7 years ) ; 6 % ( n = 5 ) were African American , and 24 % ( n = 21 ) were sexually active . Compared with baseline and SC subjects , IG subjects demonstrated a significant group-by-time interaction for benefit and knowledge of preconception counseling and reproductive health : increasing immediately after the first visit ( P < 0.001 ) and being sustained for 9 months ( P < 0.05 benefits ; P < 0.001 knowledge ) . For IG subjects , preconception counseling barriers decreased over time ( P < 0.001 ) , and intention and initiation of preconception counseling and reproductive health discussion s increased ( P < 0.001 ) . Costs of adverse reproductive outcomes are high . Direct medical costs of READY-Girls were low . CONCLUSIONS READY-Girls was beneficial and effects were sustained for at least 9 months . This low-cost self-instructional program can potentially empower young women with type 1 diabetes to make well-informed reproductive health choices , adding little time burden or cost to their diabetes management OBJECTIVE : To determine if the management of forefoot ulcerations through telemedicine is medically equivalent to ulcer care at a diabetes foot program . DESIGN : Nonr and omized comparison of forefoot ulcer healing rates SETTING : The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Diabetes Foot Program , Baton Rouge , LA , and Lallie Kemp Medical Center , Independence , LA PARTICIPANTS : Twenty consecutive patients with diabetes were treated for neuropathic forefoot ulcerations via telemedicine consultation and 120 consecutive patients with diabetes were treated face-to-face at a diabetes foot program . INTERVENTIONS : Management of forefoot ulcers by a certified wound care nurse trained in the use of a staged management approach algorithm and alternative off-loading methods , supported by real-time interactive telemedicine consultation . MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLES : Forefoot ulcer healing time in days , percentage of wounds healed in 12 weeks , and healing time ratio ( adjusted for age , gender , ulcer duration , location , size , crossover , and grade ) . RESULTS : No differences were found between the telemedicine and diabetes foot program groups in the average forefoot ulcer healing time ( 43.2 + 29.3 vs. and 45.5 + 43.4 days , P = .828 ) , the percent of forefoot ulcers healed in 12 weeks ( 75 % vs. 81 % , P = .546 ) and the adjusted healing time ratio ( 1.40 vs 1.00 , P = .104 ) . CONCLUSION : These data appear to support the effectiveness of real-time interactive telemedicine consultation in the management of diabetes-related forefoot ulceration BACKGROUND Internet technology has been proven to be a successful tool for the management of patients with multiple medical conditions . The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of monitoring glucose control in indigent women with gestational diabetes mellitus ( GDM ) over the Internet . METHODS Women with GDM were r and omized to either the Internet group ( n = 32 ) or the control group ( n = 25 ) . Patients in the Internet group were provided with computers and /or Internet access if needed . A website was established for documentation of glucose values and communication between the patient and the health care team . Women in the control group maintained paper logbooks , which were review ed at each prenatal visit . Maternal feelings of diabetes self-efficacy were assessed at study entry and again before delivery . RESULTS Women in the Internet group accessed the system and sent on average 21.8 ( + /- 16.9 ) sets of data . There was no difference between the two groups in regards either fasting or post-pr and ial blood glucose values , although more women in the Internet group received insulin therapy ( 31 % vs. 4 % ; P < 0.05 ) . There were also no significant differences in pregnancy and neonatal outcomes between the two groups . Women in the Internet group demonstrated significantly higher feelings of self-efficacy at the study 's end . CONCLUSIONS The benefit of monitoring blood glucose in indigent women with GDM via the Internet was limited by their infrequent use of the telemedicine system . Although system use was not associated with improved pregnancy outcomes , women in the telemedicine group did experience enhanced feelings of diabetes psychosocial self-efficacy Telehospice ( TH ) utilizes telemedicine technology to provide care at the end of life . A bistate project was launched in 1998 to study the use of home-based telemedicine for routine hospice care . Videophones were deployed for telenursing visits and evaluations by social workers . In order to determine what proportion of home hospice visits could be performed using currently available telemedicine technology , we review ed clinical records retrospectively for hospice nurse home visits . Clinical notes documenting home nursing visits were obtained from two large hospices , one based in Kansas , and the other in Michigan . Records were r and omly selected for patients who received hospice nurse visits during the month of January 2000 . The charts were review ed for patient demographic information , patient assessment s , teaching activities , and interventions . Five hundred ninety-seven nursing notes were analyzed using an 85-item coding instrument . After careful review of the records , the coders also made a subjective observation regarding the suitability of each visit for telemedicine . As part of this analysis , we found that 64.5 % of home hospice nursing visits could be performed by telemedicine . Using TH , it is possible to reduce the number of in-person visits , thereby significantly decreasing the cost of providing hospice care AIMS Type 2 diabetes mellitus ( T2DM ) can substantially decrease quality of life ( QOL ) . This study examined the effects on QOL-relevant psychosocial measures of a widely available commercial weight loss program enhanced for individuals with T2DM . METHODS A year-long multi-site r and omized clinical trial compared the Weight Watchers ( WW ) approach , supplemented with phone and email counseling with a certified diabetes educator ( CDE ) , to brief st and ard diabetes nutrition counseling and education ( St and ard Care ; SC ) . Participants were 400 women and 163 men ( N=279 WW ; 284 SC ) with T2DM [ mean ( ±SD ) HbA1c 8.32±1 % ; BMI = 37.1±5.7kg/m2 ; age=55.1 ± 9.1years ] . Psychosocial outcomes were assessed at baseline , month 6 , and month 12 using a diabetes specific psychosocial measure ( Diabetes Distress Scale [ DDS ] ) , Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite scale ( IWQOL ) , a generic QOL measure ( SF-36 ) , and a depression screen ( PHQ-9 ) . RESULTS WW participants showed significantly greater improvements than did SC participants on all DDS subscales and total score and on IWQOL total score and physical function , sex life and work domains ( all ps<.05 ) . There was no significant treatment effect on SF-36 scores or PHQ-9 . CONCLUSIONS WW enhanced for individuals with T2DM was superior to SC in improving psychosocial outcomes most specific to T2DM and obesity . Available commercial WL programs , combined with scalable complementary program-specific diabetes counseling , may have benefits that extend to diabetes-related distress and weight-relevant QOL Information and telecommunication technologies are called to play a major role in the changes that healthcare systems have to face to cope with chronic disease . This paper reports a telemedicine experience for the home care of chronic patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) and an integrated system design ed to carry out this experience . To determine the impact on health , the chronic care telemedicine system was used during one year ( 2002 ) with 157 COPD patients in a clinical experiment ; endpoints were readmissions and mortality . Patients in the intervention group were followed up at their homes and could contact the care team at any time through the call center . The care team shared a unique electronic chronic patient record ( ECPR ) accessible through the web-based patient management module or the home visit units . Results suggest that integrated home telemedicine services can support health professionals caring for patients with chronic disease , and improve their health . We have found that simple telemedicine services ( ubiquitous access to ECPR , ECPR shared by care team , accessibility to case manager , problem reporting integrated in ECPR ) can increase the number of patients that were not readmitted ( 51 % intervention , 33 % control ) , are acceptable to professionals , and involve low installation and exploitation costs . Further research is needed to determine the role of telemonitoring and televisit services for this kind of OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of comorbid depression on glycemic control and on response to a telemedicine case management intervention for elderly , ethnically diverse diabetic patients . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Medicare beneficiaries in underserved areas were participants ( n = 1,665 ) in the Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine ( IDEATel ) project and r and omized to a telemedicine case management intervention or usual care .  The data analyzed include baseline demographics ( age , sex , race/ethnicity , marital status , insulin use , years of education , years of diabetes , and pack-years smoked ) and measures of glycemic control ( HbA(1c ) [ A1C ] ) , comorbidity , diabetes symptom severity , functional disability and depression , and 1-year ( n = 1,578 ) A1C . The association between depression and glycemic control was analyzed cross-sectionally and prospect ively . RESULTS At baseline , there was a significant correlation between depression and A1C and a trend for depression to predict A1C when other factors were controlled . However , in prospect i ve analyses , depression did not predict change in A1C , either in the control or intervention group . CONCLUSIONS In this large sample of elderly diabetic patients , a weak relationship between depression and A1C was found , but depression did not prospect ively predict change in glycemic control . Thus , there is no evidence that depression should be used to exclude patients from interventions . Also , we should evaluate the impact of depression on outcomes other than glycemic control INTRODUCTION In rural America cigarette smoking is prevalent , few cessation services are available , and healthcare providers lack the time and re sources to help smokers quit . This paper describes the design and participant characteristics of Connect2Quit ( C2Q ) , a r and omized control trial ( RCT ) that tests the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrated telemedicine counseling delivered by 2-way webcams mounted on desktop computers in participant 's physician office examining rooms ( ITM ) versus quitline counseling delivered by telephone in participant 's homes ( Phone ) for helping rural smokers quit . METHODS / DESIGN C2Q was implemented in twenty primary care and safety net clinics .  Integrated telemedicine consisted of real-time video counseling , delivered to patients in their primary care physician 's ( PCP ) office . Phone counseling , was delivered to patients in their homes . All participants received educational material s and guidance in selecting cessation medications . RESULTS The 566 participants were predominantly Caucasian ( 92 % ) ; 9 % were Latino . Most ( 65 % ) earned < 200 % of Federal Poverty Level .  One out of three lacked home internet access , 40 % were not comfortable using computers , and only 4 % had been seen by a doctor via telemedicine in the past . Hypertension , chronic lung disease , and diabetes were highly prevalent . Participants  smoked nearly a pack a day and were highly motivated to quit . DISCUSSION C2Q is reaching a rural low-income population , with comorbid chronic diseases , that would benefit greatly from quitting smoking . ITM is a good delivery model , which integrates care by holding counseling sessions in the patient 's PCP office and keeps the primary care team up date d on patients ' progress . TRIAL REGISTRATION CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT00843505 The Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association ( ADA ) recently endorsed a resolution recommending third-party payment for outpatient education and nutritional counseling . One of the major rationale s for the statement was that education and nutritional counseling will lead to reductions in health care costs . This article critically review s the 13 studies cited in support of the ADA Policy Statement . Among these studies , only 2 compared a treated group with a control group . Both of the studies with control groups failed to r and omly assign patients to treatment condition . Only 4 of the studies showed an accounting of program costs . Upon close inspection , it appears that some of the programs actually increased , rather than decreased , health care expenditures . Attrition from programs was reported in only a minority of cases , and was large when reported . The effect of the programs upon diabetes control was inconsistent across studies . It is suggested that the rationale for education and nutritional services be based on improved health status . In addition , the execution of a systematic experimental study to evaluate these services is urged In a retrospective review , the  telemedical management of 65 out patients from a r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) of telemedicine for non-urgent referrals to a consultant neurologist was compared with the management of 76 patients seen face to face in the same trial , with that of 150 out patients seen in the neurology clinics of district general hospitals and with that of 102 neurological out patients seen by general physicians . Outcome measures were the numbers of investigations and of patient review s. The  telemedicine group did not differ significantly from the 150 patients seen face to face by neurologists in hospital clinics in terms of either the number of investigations or the number of review s they received . Patients from the RCT seen face to face had significantly fewer investigations but a similar number of review s to the other 150 patients seen face to face by neurologists ( the disparity in the number of investigations may explain the negative result for telemedicine in that RCT ) . Patients with neurological symptoms assessed by general physicians had significantly more investigations and were review ed significantly more often than all the other groups . Patients from the RCT seen by telemedicine were not managed significantly differently from those seen face to face by neurologists in hospital clinics but had significantly fewer investigations and follow-ups than those patients managed by general physicians . The results suggest that management of new neurological out patients by neurologists using telemedicine is similar to that by neurologists using a face-to-face consultation , and is more efficient than management by general physicians
Results Telemedicine programs that include a nutritional component show similar effect in diabetes management as those programs that do not .
Furthermore , subgroup analysis reveals that nutritional intervention via SMS such as email and text messages is at least as equally effective in reducing HbA1c when compared to personal nutritional counseling with a practitioner over videoconference or telephone .
Conclusion The inclusion of nutritional counseling as part of a telemedicine program does not make a significant difference to diabetes outcomes .
Incorporating nutritional counseling into telemedicine programs via SMS is at least as effective as counseling via telephone or videoconference
Background A growing number of studies and review s have documented the impact of telemedicine on diabetes management .
However , no meta- analysis has assessed whether including nutritional counseling as part of a telemedicine program has a significant impact on diabetes outcomes or what kind of nutritional counseling is most effective .