Seventy-nine percent of people with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries, according to the International Diabetes Federation. That’s why World Diabetes Day 2021 focuses on the importance of improving global care access.
To recognize World Diabetes Day and Diabetes Awareness Month, MEDITECH is sharing customers’ efforts to provide ongoing care and support to their patients with diabetes. One shining example, The Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, is implementing an EHR in its outreach medical centers to provide a single source of patient information across Kenya.
“Seamless, accessible patient information will improve accuracy and reduce costs for chronic conditions like diabetes, which is rising significantly,” said acting CMO Boniface Mativa, MD, during a discussion in the MEDITECH Podcast. “Through the EHR, providers at our outreach centers will be able to see the beginning signs of issues and intervene earlier.”
Remote monitoring prioritizes safety and convenience
Providers in the U.S. are also struggling with accessibility issues for patients with diabetes, particularly for those who may be unable to attend medical appointments in person. During the pandemic, Val Verde Regional Medical Center (Del Rio, TX) established a remote monitoring program using MEDITECH, and it’s helping to keep patients on track.
“Patient engagement and compliance have improved, because people understand their conditions better and can see the trends,” said Val Verde CIO Keith Willey in a recent success story. “At the same time, clinicians have real-time information available in the EHR and can take immediate action — such as changing meds or bringing patients in for emergency appointments — if they see abnormal vitals coming in.”
Follow @MEDITECH on Twitter as we share stories about our customers’ efforts to improve diabetes care. For more information about how we help organizations improve outcomes, save time, and conserve resources, please see our Diabetes Prevention and Management Toolkits webpage.
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