How does telemedicine change health care?

With the concept of telemedicine, we usually associate the advice of a primary care physician provided by phone. No wonder, because the data of the National Health Fund shows that almost 80 percent of teleterad takes place in item. However, other specialists – especially diabetologists, can also use the possibilities of telemedicine than family doctors.

– Telemedicine enabled us to perform teleterads, which are at a level such as traditional visits. Of course, they do not include patient examination, but include the possibility of glycemia assessment, leveling diabetes – whether the treatment is appropriate. This allows us to change treatment. Thanks to Telemmedic systems, we have the ability to read both the results from continuous glycemic monitoring, such as and insulin pumps – indicates in an interview with tvn24.pl Dr. Anna Jeznach -Steinhagen, a diabetologist from the Medical University of Warsaw.

Film or a stoplet?

As the doctor adds, one day, to monitor glucose, you had to go to the clinic to the examination. Then came the era of glucose meters. Still, not much measurements were made so that you could talk about optimal disease control. The real revolution came with the appearance of the already mentioned systems of continuous glycemic monitoring.

– Sensors measure glycemia at a minute intervals. The difference between them and glucles is the same as between watching the movie and seeing a few footballs from it. Data is collected all the time, so the patient learns about things he had no idea about before. For example, I remember a patient who would not know without a sensor that sugar was falling first at night, and from 3pm he was starting to grow. Such data for us doctors is therapeutically very important – adds Anna Jeznach -Steinhagen.

The patient is more aware

In addition, many devices are equipped with predictive systems that alert the patient with impending hyperglycemia or on the contrary – hypoglycemia. The patient can, for example, eat something sweet in advance to increase blood sugar and avoid a state that can be dangerous to his life. What's more, the patient, seeing something disturbing, can also quickly call the doctor and report his symptoms. Medics also directly have an insight into data collected by the sensor from the level of their professional account on a special IT platform.

– This is particularly important, for example, in pregnant women. Changes in glucose can occur quickly, sometimes even from a week by week, and we are not able to provide patients with so many stationary visits to have a chance to catch it. On-line visits are then very helpful here. It is worth adding that often pregnant women simply cannot come for a visit because they have an at risk of pregnancy and then an online visit and discussion of the results of glucose read from the sensor is a good form of contact – indicates a diabetologist.

In a similar principle, the doctor can also read data from insulin pumps or intelligent pens to inject insulin. This gives him real time access to information that is crucial for treatment.

In items, mainly the phone

– Telemedicine in primary healthcare is, of course, almost always only a phone call. If you don't know the patient, then even verifying his identity already creates huge problems. We try to respect, respect and, above all, use European recommendations, but this is not necessarily happening on the side of patients. This is the case, for example, when an unauthorized person is trying to get information about grandmother or grandfather – indicates Dr. Michał Sutkowski, president -elect of the College of Family Doctors.

As the doctor admits, despite the organizational difficulties of teleterade, they are the most desirable phenomenon, of course if they are not an abused tool. However, it is raised by how much therapeutic decisions can be based on the indications of devices worn on the patient's body when making therapeutic decisions.

Dr. Sutkowski gives an example to the atrial fibrillation. According to European guidelines, an indication made by this type of equipment should be sufficient to write a prescription for medicines. Sutkowski is afraid that during the inspection, the National Health Fund inspector could question such a decision and withdraw the reimbursement. Despite this type of doubt, the potential of such equipment is undoubted in his opinion. A legal framework is needed that would clearly regulate the conditions of using them.

According to Market Research Future analysts, the world market of telemedicine reached almost $ 72 billion in 2024. By 2035, its valuation will increase to $ 200 billion.