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 .
Transfer of knowledge from the specialist to the generalist by videoconferencing: effect on diabetes care
We conducted a 12-month prospect i ve interventional study of videoconferencing between primary and secondary care . A treatment network consisting of a diabetes specialist and four general practitioners was established . The communications medium was PC-based videoconferencing via ISDN at 128 kbit/s . A total of 154 type 2 diabetic patients entered the study . The specialist was contacted 94 times via videoconferencing .  Metabolic and haemodynamic parameters were significantly improved over the course of the study : the mean HbA1c level fell from 8.1 % to 7.8 % , systolic blood pressure from 156 to 148 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure from 88 to 83 mmHg . The study demonstrated that therapeutic counselling by videoconferencing is feasible in diabetes care and suggests that it reduces hospital admissions and improves the quality of care
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 .