The use of telehealth for diabetes management: a qualitative study of telehealth provider perceptions
2007

Telehealth for Diabetes Management: Provider Perspectives

Sample size: 14 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Faith P. Hopp, Mary M. Hogan, Peter A. Woodbridge, Julie C. Lowery

Primary Institution: VA HSR&D Center for Practice Management and Outcomes Research, VA Ann Arbor Health Care System

Hypothesis

What are telehealth providers' perceptions regarding how MMD systems are used by patients with diabetes?

Conclusion

Telehealth technologies, including MMDs, show promise for diabetes care but face challenges in implementation and patient engagement.

Supporting Evidence

  • Telehealth providers see MMDs as useful but face technical challenges.
  • Enrollment in MMD programs is limited by both clinical and non-clinical factors.
  • Patients have varying levels of participation in the MMD program.

Takeaway

Doctors use special machines to help diabetes patients manage their health from home, but some patients don't use them as much as they should.

Methodology

In-depth qualitative interviews with telehealth providers at two Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the small sample size and lack of diverse geographic representation.

Limitations

The study is based on a small sample of telehealth providers from only two VA facilities, which may not represent broader experiences.

Participant Demographics

Telehealth providers included ten registered nurses and four nurse practitioners from two VA facilities.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1748-5908-2-14

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