Sustainable diabetes care services during COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic creates a challenge in the provision of care for patients with diabetes. Furthermore, those with uncontrolled diabetes are at a higher risk for complications due to COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to find an innovative method to sustain effective diabetes care services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Outpatient diabetes care was successfully transformed from traditional face-to-face encounters in the clinic to an online telemedicine service. RESULTS: 1,972 patients were encountered over a 4-week study period during which we had a low proportion of unreached patients (4%). Some patients were still seen in person because they came as walk-in visits or insisted to be seen in person. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine has become an essential healthcare service and could be augmented by the use of technology like web-based applications and communication via transfer of data from patients’ glucometer, insulin pumps, or sensors. Diabetes care can be transitioned to telemedicine effectively and would be successful in reaching more patients than by traditional face-to-face visits. This model of care is time consuming and unfortunately does not reduce the need for medical staff.