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The digital era can make life easier, one of which is the monitoring of diabetic patients. Through the application, they can still get supervision from doctors without having to go to the hospital, including lowering blood sugar levels.
This is one of the findings from a pilot study of chronic disease management as a collaboration between Good Doctor Technology Indonesia and the research institute of Indonesia Medical Association (Ikatan Dokter Indonesia)
How effective is the telemedicine application for supervising diabetes patients? Does it work on helping patients control their blood sugar levels? Let’s take a look below!
About the related study
The study was conducted through several processes to derive a conclusion, including tens of respondents. Here is the complete information:
Aim of the study
Notably, the study has two objectives. First, it aims to obtain proof of correlation between good clinical results and active telemedicine support. Second, it seeks to measure the effectiveness of teleconsultation in observing patients’ blood sugar levels.
The study was conducted through two phases: qualitative and quantitative, to obtain the final result. Phase 1 was about the perception of consumers and the expectation of telemedicine, focusing on the first study of diabetes patients to find out their need for telemedicine.
While for phase 2, it was about the effectiveness of teleconsultation towards a group of diabetes patients (by using a prospective cohort study).
Numbers of Respondents Involved
As mentioned before, the study was conducted through two phases: qualitative and quantitative. Phase 1 involved 15 respondents (age 45-70) divided into three groups of forum group discussion (FGD) via Google Meet and Microsoft team, held in December 2020.
Phase 2 (quantitative), the observation towards respondents was conducted for three months (supervision of blood sugar level). From the respondents involved, some of the patients were using the Good Doctor application to receive intervention treatment. While the rest of the respondents became the control group that did not use the Good Doctor application.
This study also involved some BPJS clinics (Healthcare and Social Security Agency) located in Bekasi, Bogor, and Depok, as guidance in observing blood sugar levels in patients.
Methodology
Respondents were divided into two, the control group and the intervention group. The Control group was diabetes patients without intervention from the telemedicine platform. While intervention group received notifications and reminders regularly, teleconsultation with Good Doctor, and educational information repeatedly.
Finding
Each phase (qualitative and quantitative) obtained results after conducting several processes of study as explained below:
Phase 1
The forum group discussion conducted for the three groups shows that the diabetes monitoring through the Good Doctor application received a positive response from the respondents. The platform can support the observation of the patients, especially self-care monitoring on the development of their health condition.
Older respondents may find it challenging to use the application due to their unawareness of technology. It is why simple and user-friendly features and navigations are needed so that they can use the app easier.
In contrast, since younger patients have more understanding and can use the technology well, telemedicine services can help them to self-monitor their health. It is because the number of diabetes patients among younger-age tend to increase every year.
Phase 2
The group that used the Good doctor application fully experienced a decrease in their blood sugar level by the end of three-month monitoring. While the blood sugar level of the group that did not have full intensity involvement remained unchanged. The blood sugar level of the control group or those who did not install Good Doctor was higher than those who installed the application (treatment).
However, the population of this study was relatively small due to the effect of COVID-19. Therefore, further study on a bigger scale to gain a better result is needed. In addition, during the study process, there were some obstacles faced, one of them being digital literacy from the respondents.
Most of the chronic disease patients were the elderly group with low ability in operating mobile applications. Also, they needed guidance from their families or companions to use the application.
Conclusions
The role of telemedicine is expected to have a more positive impact on the management of chronic disease of BPJS clinics that can provide better clinical outcomes for patients so that in the end, it can affect the efficiency of BPJS budget allocation.
Well, that’s a review of the pilot study of chronic disease management conducted by Good Doctor. Keep your body healthy by monitoring your health through the Good Doctor Application! Download Good doctor here!
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Reference:
A pilot study of Chronic Disease Management of Good Doctor Technology Indonesia
