Using wireless to monitor chronic disease patients in urban poor regions

Abstract

The healthcare delivery system in the United States is in crisis. Runaway expenditures and problems with access and affordability of care are plaguing the industry. Several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, consume a disproportionate slice of healthcare services. By some estimates, chronic diseases account for over 70-75 % of direct healthcare costs. Diabetes is one of the five major chronic diseases. It afflicts over 20 million people in the United States and accounts for almost $100 billion in medical costs. The prevalence of diabetes in the United States and worldwide is on the rise. It has long been established that technology may play a role in contributing to a more efficient delivery of care that may also assist in controlling costs. Of particular interest is the potential use of wireless technology in the monitoring of diabetic patients that would contribute to more efficient management of the disease. This chapter presents a discussion of an experiential study in which the use of cellular telephones was applied in the monitoring of blood glucose levels by diabetic patients in their homes and the transfer of this information to a central unit in the hospital. The diabetic patients were accustomed to daily measuring their blood glucose and recording the measures in a logbook; hence this technology intervention represented a significant change to their normal care path and pattern. They would bring the logbook to their regular visits to the hospital and also when any emergency occurred. This system of record keeping was flawed, as patients would neglect to record all entries, record wrong readings, and commit similar errors. As the chapter discusses, with the application of wireless technology, the patient enters the blood glucose reading into his cell phone and the information is transmitted to the hospital. The medical staff then follows up and monitors the patient's progress. This improved monitoring process engenders positive outcomes such as savings in time and cost and better management of the disease.