Telehealth interventions are increasingly recognized as effective strategies for improving health and ensuring better patient outcomes. This study focuses on Diabetes Tele-Management System (DTMS®), a comprehensive telemedicine program established in Kerala, India in 1997. In this cross-sectional study, T2D for >10yrs were divided into 2groups. One group received Conventional Care (CC): minimum of three physical visits per year. Another group received Telemedicine as an add-on to Conventional Care (TCC): same physical visits plus at least two telemedicine consultations per month. TCC group (n=59; age: 59.86±10.91yrs; 52.5% females; duration: 14.78±3.69yrs) exhibited a 48.4% lower proportion of complications than the CC group (n=65; age: 56.18±10.5yrs; 55.4% females; duration: 11.19±4.57yrs) (p < 0.05). All the subjects were literate with nearly 50 % being graduates. Neuropathy was the most common complication observed, followed by CAD. (Figure) This study over 8-10yrs of follow-up demonstrates that integrating telemedicine with conventional care significantly reduces micro and macrovascular complications in T2D by 48.4 % compared to conventional care. This model may be recommended as a standard of care in diabetes based on evolving evidence as a highly cost-effective strategy.
J. Kesavadev: None. A. Shankar: None. G. Sanal: None. K. Jothydev: None. A. Basanth: None. S. Raj K: None. S. Jothydev: None.
