The use of telephone monitoring for diabetic patients: theory and practical implications

Abstract

Over the last 30 years, diabetes mellitus has changed from being seen as a relatively mild ailment associated with aging and the elderly ("just a touch of sugar") to one of the major contemporary causes of premature mortality and morbidity in most countries. In virtually every developed society, diabetes is ranked among the leading causes of blindness, renal failure, and lower limb amputation. Through its effects on cardiovascular disease (70%–80% of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease), it is also now one of the leading causes of death. Even diabetes mellitus seems to be dealt with due to innovative information and communication technologies, along with new forms of service delivery organization such as home care and remote monitoring. This paper provides a review of the innovative concept of using mobile phones for diabetes monitoring starting with a brief introduction, continuing with an analysis of health and lifestyle related data that record the patient–health-professional's interaction and decision making, and concluding with a general discussion section followed by an extended bibliography.